Effect of boron fertilization on productivity and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system in Tarai region, North-West India

S P Pachauri; Arvind K Shukla; P C Srivastava; Sanjib K Behara; Nagender Pal Butail; Pratibha Thakur; Praveen Thakur; Anjali; Munish Sharma; Pradeep K Sharma; Ankita Sahu; Pardeep Kumar

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121084

Effect of boron fertilization on productivity and sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system in Tarai region, North-West India

J Environ Manage. 2024 May:359:121084. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121084. Epub 2024 May 9.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Soil Science, GBP University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263 145, India.
² Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Gwalior, 474 002, India; ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, 462 038, India.
³ ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, 462 038, India.
⁴ Krishi Vigyan Kendra-YSPUHF, Rohru, 171 207, India.
⁵ Department of Soil Science, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, 176 062, India.
⁶ Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu, 180 009, India.
⁷ Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture-Indore, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Gwalior, 474 002, India.
⁸ Department of Soil Science, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, 176 062, India. Electronic address: pardeep1968@hillagric.ac.in.

PMID: 38723505
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121084

Abstract

Extensive global dependency on rice and wheat crops has necessitated the adoption of intensive cultivation practices, thereby compelling to closely monitor the potential yield-limiting factors, among which, boron (B) deficiency stands out to be a prime concern. The present study explores the effects of B fertilization strategies within the Rice-Wheat Cropping System (RWCS) in the Tarai region of North-West India. A comprehensive six-year field experiment was conducted (2013-2019) at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, India. The experiment tested graded B doses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 kg ha^-1) at varied frequencies (single, alternate, and annual) in a factorial design. The study revealed significant impacts of alternate B application at 1.5 kg ha^-1 on crop yields and the Sustainable Yield Index (SYI). The System Rice Equivalent Yield (SREY) exhibited an increase of 6.7% with B supplementation over B-deprived plots, highlighting the pivotal role of B fertilizer in enhancing productivity within the RWCS. The economic optimum B dose was found to be 1.422 kg ha^-1 using a linear plus plateau model, resulting in a calculated annual SREY of 9.73 t ha^-1 when applied alternately to the cropping system. Continuous application and higher B rates demonstrated substantial increases in various B fractions, while the mobility factor remained within 10%, depicting safe ecological limits. The distribution of fractions in B-treated plots on average followed the order: residual B > organically-bound B > oxide bound B > specifically adsorbed B > readily soluble B. Similarities in the distribution patterns of B fractions between B-treated plots and the control indicated potential influence of biotic or abiotic processes on B fraction dynamics, even in the absence of external B application. To sum up, B application in alternate years at 1.5 kg ha^-1 was most sustainable in enhancing the SREY, SYI, available soil B, and B fractions and lowering the environmental hazards.

Keywords: Boron fractions; Mobility factor; Sustainable yield index; System rice equivalent yield.

MeSH terms

Agriculture* / methods
Boron*
Crops, Agricultural* / growth & development
Fertilizers*
India
Oryza* / growth & development
Soil / chemistry
Triticum* / growth & development