Advances in integrated plant nutrient management

Description

Integrated plant nutrient management (IPNM) based on the combined use of organic amendments and mineral fertilisers was designed to address the concerns of deteriorating soil health and negative yield trends commonly observed with long-term fertiliser use. Yield of most crops obtained by following IPNM are higher than that observed by applying same amount of nutrients through organic manures or inorganic nutrient sources alone. This chapter examines recent research on IPNM in terms of increasing crop yields, long-term sustainability of crop yields and improvement/ maintenance of soil health. The chapter discusses the potential contribution of INPM to global warming through emission of nitrous oxide. The chapter focuses particularly on Sub-Saharan Africa, where most soils are already degraded in terms of loss of nutrients and organic matter and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) as a variant of IPNM has been suggested as the only way to manage soil fertility. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 Increasing crop productivity through IPNM 3 Improving sustainability of crop production systems by following IPNM 4 IPNM for improving/maintaining soil health 5 IPNM and global warming potential due to emission of nitrous oxide 6 ISFM as a variant of IPNM in SSA 7 Conclusion and future trends 8 Where to look for further information 9 References