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Advances
ces inEnvironmental Biology
ISSN-1995-0756 EISSN-1998-1066
1
Department of Agronomy, 2Horticulture, 5Soil Science,
Science Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, 70060-Pakistan
Pakistan
4
Sugarcane section, Agriculture Research, Tandojam, Sindh, Pakistan
3
Government Boysys Degree College Sakrand, District Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh, Pakistan
6
Agriculture
lture Extension Department, Government of Balochistan, Pakistan
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Received 17 July 2016; Accepted 28 September 2016; Available online 30 September 2016
ABSTRACT
All plants utilize nitrogen (N) in the form of NO3- and NH4+. It is most imperative element for proper growth and development of plants
which significantly increases and enhances the yield and its quality by playing a vital role in biochemical and physiological functions of
plant. Pivotal N is required in larger quantity about 1000 ug kg-1 dry matter,
atter, so, it is compulsory supplied to plants. It is top most 100%
deficient in Pakistani soils due to low organic matter content, additionally, various factors are associated with the insufficiency such as
improper application, methods, timings and harvesting
harve causes losses through volatilization, leaching, denitrification and crop removals
rem etc.
An estimate 78-79% N is available in the atmosphere in inert structure (N2) that is not useful for plants, and thus not up-taken
up directly. N is
available from industrial,
strial, atmospheric and biological as well as organic fixation. Therefore, nutrient management practices should be
technical and most advantageous. This review research paper is lighting up with full spectrum on the role of N for plants and providing a
beneficial
eficial knowledge to the farmers, students and researchers. Furthermore, in this detailed review, it was concluded that nitrogen
nitro greatly
contributes in agriculture. Only big cause of limited yield with lower most quality of crops throughout the world is duedu to improper and non-
judicious use of N and its reason is lack of awareness.
INTRODUCTION
Nitrogen (N) occupies a conspicuous place in plant metabolism system. All vital processes in plants are
associated with protein, of which nitrogen is an essential constituent. Consequently to get more crop production,
nitrogen application is indispensable
indispensabl and unavoidable. Nitrogen plays a key role in agriculture by increasing of
crop yield [1]. Nitrogen not only enhances the yield but also improves
i the food quality [2]. Optimum, rate of N
increases photosynthetic processes, leaf area production, leaf area duration as well as net assimilation rate [3].
The maximum leaf area (LA) and total leaf biomass of plantsplants are a determinant of higher crop yield [4]. Since
Sinc
the previous fifty years, the
he yield of various crops increased globally due to maximum use of N along with good
management practices [5].All plants including cereals, oilseeds, fiber, and sugar producing and horticultural
require a balanced amount of nitrogen for vigorous growth and developmental
developmental process.
process Judicious use of N
ensures greatest harvest with better quality. Nitrogen is showing a fundamental role in enhancing the
productivity of four major crops of Pakistan like, wheat, rice, sugarcane and cotton. Wheat growth and yield
parameters, plant height (cm), number of tillers m-2, number of spikelet’s spike-1, grains spike-1, and length of
spike and1000-grain weight increased by nitrogen fertilization [6]. Increasing levels of nitrogensignificantly
influence on grain yield of crop. The maximal grain yield of wheat 3.848 tons ha-1was obtained through
application of 180kg N [7]. Another important grain crop is rice, which is cultivated worldwide. The chemical
nutrient nitrogen produces the highest yield. Nitrogen at rate 120 kg ha-1 showed promising results, for plant
height of rice, number of tillers , dry weight , length of panicle , number of filled grains / panicle , straw yield ,
biological yield , harvest index, benefit cost ratio and grain yield 4.66 tonsha-1[8]. Similarly, in the cotton crop,
judicious use of nitrogenous fertilizer is more important. Nitrogen is being essential nutrient effects plant
growth, fruiting and yield of cotton [9]. Nitrogen levels had significant differences in yield components and seed
cotton yield. Nitrogen 100kg ha-1produced more seed cotton yield due to more number of monopodial branches
(where from vegetative parts develops) and sympodial branches (where from reproductive parts develops), bolls
plant-1, average boll weight and 100 cotton seed weight. 100kg nitrogen ha-1 is recommended [10]. For
sugarcane crops, nitrogen is also backbone. It improves the vegetative parts and thus increases the cane weight.
China and India obtain doublet yield, because of their recommendation application of nitrogen is about 300kg
ha-1. In other countries, N is usually applied at the rate of 150 to 200kg ha-1. Yield and quality constituents of
sugarcane were declared significant through increasing rate of N at 195.5kg ha-1. In further 299kg nitrogen ha-
1
determined adverse effect on the quality of sugarcane was recorded poor [11]. Among oil seed crops mustard
and sunflower are widely cultivated throughout the country. Nitrogen at the rate of 180kg ha-1significantly
increases yield of sunflower crop in semiarid conditions [12].Nitrogen is not an element which is useful for a
specific crop or providing limited results for a particular crop. It is great food for every living plant. Nitrogen
requirement of horticultural crops is valuable, but its role some time becomes hidden specially in ornamental
and large fruit tree crops, mainly due to lack of knowledge and awareness in Pakistan. Proper rate of N is
essential for improvement of horticultural crops. In this sector, the major crops are citrus, mango, onion and
potato in the country. However, vegetables including chilies, tomato, turnip, okra, carrot, cauliflower, peas,
tinda gourd, garlic, radish, cucumber, brinjal etc are also cultivated at a wider range. From the floricultural point
of view, the flowers like, marigold, calendula officinale, bougainvillea and rose are important crops. Nitrogen
takes good place for enhancement of yield and quality of mango fruit. Application of N fertilizer to mango tree
markedly increased the number of fruit tree-1, pulp content as well as fruit quality [13]. The increased fruit yield
due to frequent fertilizer application [14]. Where as in the citrus, the recommended rate of N for younger plants
are commonly depends upon leaf N analysis or N removal in harvested fruit. The recommended rates start at 0.2
- 0.5kg N tree-1year-1. In Texas (USA), N levels of six to eight year older plant of citrus ranges from 0.5 to 0.6kg
tree-1year-1 [15]. Leaves, branches and roots are directly or indirectly contribute yield of many vegetables.
Nitrogen functions in accumulation of biomass as it is utilized from roots and leaves, since its major role in
vegetative growth of vegetables. It increases leaf size of spinach and color. Nitrogen forms are widely used in
vegetable production [16]. It is an essential constituent of protein, nucleic acids, chlorophyll and growth
hormones [17]. It is luminary as input of crop production that is a single element which contributes very much
in agriculture. It enhances the metabolic processes that based on protein, leads to increases in vegetative,
reproductive growth and yield of the crop.
In view of great importance of nitrogen in agriculture, current research review article is written to explore
the role of nitrogen in different angles and show the scope of nitrogen study for boosting of crop yield.
The soil and climatic tic conditions play a significant role in uptake and utilization of N. It is therefore
mandatory that soil and climatic conditions of a particular region must be considered before conducting any
experiments on response of N on growth and productivity of diverse diverse crop species. Nitrogen
Nitrog is that element
which applied to plants from soil and return back to soil from plants residues during decomposition process and
in this way soil fertility remains maintained.
Plant N use efficiency is greatly affected by soil and climatic factors [26, 27]. They are listed as soil pH
(power of hydrogen), soil texture, structure, crop removal, leaching, soil compaction, organic matter, moisture,
presence of other nutrients, use of high performance varieties, oxidation and reduction, volatilization, burning
and erosion, method of application of nitrogen and timing etc. Soil pH that is hydrogen (H) ions concentration
or Hydroxyl (Ions) interferes with nitrogen utilization. N-use efficiency in crops is excellence at normal soil pH
rang (6.5-7.0), but nitrogen being macro nutrient is maximum available at higher pH, same time availability
does not mean of its increased utilization because raised pH disorders the plant root growth and all other plant
part’s functions. On the other hand, soil texture (percentage of sand, silt and clay) is technically considered in
nitrogen management system, sandy and coarse soils do not hold N. The clay, clay loam and loamy soils have
maximum capacity to hold N for plants. Therefore N use efficiency is higher in those crops grown under clay
and loamy soils. Soil texture can be enhanced by addition of organic manures. They increase nitrogen uses
efficiency from different ways. Generally greatest crop removal is found maximum nutrients removal, when
nitrogen availability starts decreasing than its efficiency also decrease. Optimum availability of N is necessary
for their proper intake by plants.
Amongst nitrogen limiting factors, the leaching is one of the major problems. Applied N to crop, dissolve in
irrigation water and leaches down from the top soil surface to the downward portion. This process causes N
deficiency which can easily be defined as ‘’limited nitrogen means limited its use efficiency’’. In a clear sense
lower availability of nitrogen reduces growth and development of plant.
Soil compaction:
Compacted soil has aeration problem and water movement issue. Optimum amount of water and air is
necessarily required for the process of breaking of N (Nutrients) and its dissemination in the root zone which
intensify the N uptake efficiency.
Manuring:
Organic manures such as farm yard manures (FYM), compost, green manure (GM), poultry and other
manures improves soil fertility as well as soil texture, and encourages microbial activity ultimately
conditionalize nitrogen efficacy by supporting of utilization of N.
Moisture:
Moist soils help to intake of N by plants while, drought conditions of the soil adversely effects on its
availability and uptake process which also result in the loss of N from soil due to volatilization. Better N use
efficiency can be achieved by application of optimum water to the plants.
Volatilization:
Nitrogen starts lacking in soil due to high volatilization process. It caused by deficit moisture in the surface
of the soil, especially in arid areas, where irrigation water is not available in sufficient amount and the
temperature is higher. High temperature rise transpiration rate and increase the water requirement in the root
zone and leads drought condition around the plant’s growing region. Nitrogen losses into the atmosphere in the
form of ammonia gas (NH3). Rapid volatilization decrease N use efficiency in plants. To withstand in such
situations, a little amount of irrigation should be applied for maintenance of continues the response of the plant
to nitrogen.
Table 2: Some most common and famous industrially available nitrogen fertilizers
NAME CHEMICALFORMULAE N%
Urea CO(NH2)2 46
Ammonium sulphate (AS) (NH4)2SO4 21
Ammonium nitrate (AN) NH4NO3 26
Diammonium phosphate (DAP) (NH4)2HPO4 18
Monoammonium phosphate (MAP) NH4H2PO4 11
215 Shah Jahan Leghari et al, 2016
Advances inEnvironmental Biology, 10(9) September 2016, Pages: 209-218
Basal application:
In this method the fertilizer is applied at the time of sowing, fertilizer distributed uniformly on the entire
area of the field and where it is mixed with soil.
Top dressing:
This practice is useful for densely grown plants (crops). Therefore it is best useful for paddy and wheat
crops. Besides advantages, the disadvantages include N loss is higher from broadcasting method when directly
applied on the soil surface of standing crop, weeds easily take up N and N cannot well uptake by plants thus
reduce its use efficiency.
ammonium (NH4+) is mostly applied in order to maximize uptake process of plant. The main goal is to prevent
losses of N from run-off and leaching along with to avoid N nutrition or contact with weeds.
Conclusion:
In the highlights of above scientific description about nitrogen from different technical aspects, we are
giving conclusion that nitrogen has great role for plants and it should be more improved through the awareness
among farmers and they trained for beneficial use of nitrogen. Only big reason of limited yield with lower most
quality of crops throughout the world is improper and non-judicious use of nitrogen. Proper management of N
for crop is essential. N must be applied before soil test and after analysis reports, the suggestions should be
gathered from agricultural experts for right quantity application of nitrogen and its methods. Like foliar
application provides advantages in salinity conditions, where broadcasting could is not best used, since fertilizer
losses. Similarly fertigation shows better results compare to broadcasting and placement is cost saving for
garden plants.
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