Vol.
1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Integrated Nutrient Management and Its Importance
for Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties
Tushar K. Nakade*, Ayaz Ahamad1, Deepak Kher2, Afrayeem Syed3,
Deepak Yadav4
*1,3,4
Assistant Professors, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, Mandsaur University,
Mandsaur, India
2
Director & Head, Faculty of Agriculture Sciences, Mandsaur University,
Mandsaur, India
ARTICLE ID: 061
Abstract
An essential element performs unique biochemical or physiological functions that are
required for normal growth and /or reproduction, in which it cannot be replaced by another
element. Plants required at least 17 such elements, called micro and macro nutrient. Now a
day have drastic effects on crop growth and yield, is urgently needed to report this aim.
Replacement of a part of chemical fertilizers by organic manure through a simple technique
of using minimum effective dose of sufficient and balanced quantities of organic and
inorganic fertilizers in combination with specific microorganisms, called INM, has a bright
solution in this area / agriculture approches. Recently, several investigators reported that
integrated use of chemical fertilizers with organic manure is becoming a quite promising
practice not only for maintaining higher productivity but also for greater stability to crop
production. In addition, INM acts as a source of energy, organic carbon, and available
nitrogen for the growth of soil microbes and improvement of physical properties of soil, and
also have great residual effect on subsequent crops. So, the key component of the INM goal is
to reach the eco-friendly practice through the harmonious properties of both sources by
making a combination that can be used for decreasing the enormous use of chemical
fertilizers and accreting a balance between fertilizer inputs and crop nutrient requirement,
maintaining the soil fertility, optimizing the level of yield, maximizing the profitability, and
subsequently reducing the environmental pollution. Lastly, INM is a tool that can offer good
options and economic choices to supply plants with a sufficient amount of nutrients in need
and can also reduce total costs, create favorable soil physiochemical conditions and healthy
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
environment, eliminate the constraints, safeguard the soil nutrient balance, and find safety
methods to get rid of agriculture wastes.
Keywords: Elements, Fertilizer, Organic, INM
Introduction
Integrated nutrient management (INM) involves the use of manures, chemical
fertilizers and biological agent achieve sustainable crop production and improved soil health.
INM is the best approach for better utilization of available resources and to produce crops
with less expenditure. In soils of India, NPS deficiencies are principal yield- limiting factors
in crop production. INM, which entails the maintenance of soil fertility to an optimum level
for crop productivity to obtain the maximum benefit from all possib le sources of plant
nutrients organics as well as inorganic in an integrated manner, it is essential to address the
twin concerns of nutrient excess and nutrient depletion. INM is also beneficial for marginal
farmers who cannot afford to supply all crop nutrients through costly chemical fertilization.
This review article examines the concepts, objectives, procedures and principles of INM and
its effect on soil. Most of the INM research work carried out with dominant crop rotations of
major field crops grown in the subtropical states of India, sustainable production of
prominent cropping systems, enhancing nutritional quality of products, improving soil health,
and minimizing environmental pollution.
The main challenge in the forthcoming few years lies in the following question.
Can agriculture provide the world population with all food needs which are expected to
exceed 7.5 billion by the year 2020. With the view of an increase in land scarcity and water
shortage, most of the agriculture plans depend on the use of chemical fertilizers and the
production of new high- yielding crop varieties. Yet, both components are much expensive
and will lead to higher pressure and more responsibilities for the financial investments and
consequently will lead to an increase in the total costs. Meanwhile, the price of fertilizers
increases, year by year, due to the higher amount of fertilizers needed in the second and third
seasons as compared with that in the first season to maintain the current yield production at
economical level. Despite the increase in the quantity of fertilizer application, a part of
applied fertilizers and soil native nutrients were already consumed by the current and
previous crops, especially in the case of intensive agriculture, where two to three crops are
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annually cultivated. Moreover, application of inorganic fertilizers is not a pragmatic option
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
for many poor farmers in different regions worldwide, because many poor farmers do not
have enough money to pay.
Integrated nutrient management is also defined as the technique of using the
smallest effective dose of sufficient and balanced amounts of organic and inorganic fertilisers
in conjunction with specific microorganisms to make nutrients more available and effective
for maintaining high yields without exposing soil native nutrients or polluting the
environment. Furthermore, many benefits can also be gained from using integrated nutrient
management. INM has the potential to be the driving force behind efforts to turn marginal
lands into productive ones, thereby achieving the strategic goal of expanding cultivated land.
Concept of INM
Integrated nutrient management is a practice that combines old and modern
techniques of fertilizer use and nutrient management. The concept of INM is based on a
variety of elements, including nutritional harmony, a balance between crop nutrient demands,
what kind of nutrient is accessible in general in soil and in the farmer's hand, and knowledge
and skills about the best nutrient. Additionally, it is a method and a way of d isposing organic
wastes safely and also an effective method of recycling wastes into goodquality compost. The
key components of the INM concept include the following: increasing the farmer’s awareness
about the valuable use of INM practices, inviting them to forget the excessive use of chemical
fertilizers, and encouraging them to focus on long-term plan for sustainable agriculture.
Moreover, rather of focusing on just the profit that may be earned, growers must pay more
attention to environmental issues and producing safe food. It's important to note that many
buyers prioritize food safety above all else, regardless of price, and that following such
procedures may boost a farmer's profits.
Objective
The main goal of integrated nutrient management is to maintain economic yield for
a long time with minimal impact on native soil fertility and pollution, as well as to raise
farmer awareness of an environmentally friendly technique (organic farming system) for
producing healthy, contaminant- free food while ensuring satisfactory economic returns.
The main principles of INM
3
INM's key principles are listed below, and they include the following: (a)
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maximising the use of soil nutrients to enhance crop productivity and resource efficiency; as
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
mentioned earlier, the overall objective of INM is to maximise the use of soil nutrients to
improve crop productivity and resource efficiency. (b) spatially and temporally coordinating
soil nutrient supply with crop requirement. The amount and timing of fertiliser applications
must be in accordance with the crop's nutritional requirements, according to INM, in order to
produce maximum yields and improve nutrient utilisation. N fertilisers used in small amounts
and on a regular basis during seasons of high crop demand have the potent ial to decrease N
losses. (c) reducing N losses, while improving the crop yield. Excessive applications of N
fertilizer can result in increased leaching of nitrates into groundwater and more emission
losses to the atmosphere. The principle of INM is to control the N losses and their harmful
environmental effects while achieving high crop productivity. Crop N absorption,
immobilisation, and residues in the soil, as well as N losses to the environment, such as
ammonia volatilization, NOX emissions, denitrification, N leaching, and runoff, all affect the
destiny of N in the field. In addition, INM promotes organic fertilisation systems, which offer
enormous potential for agriculture's long-term sustainability as well as more direct
environmental impact.Using organic manure together with other management practices, such
as incorporation of crop residues and the development of conservation tillage (no-tillage or
reduced-tillage practices), also reduce GHG emissions, improve the soil quality and increase
C-sequestration, accompanying high crop yield.
Components of INM
Major components of integrated nutrient management are (i) integration of soil
fertility restoring crops like green manures, legumes, etc.; (ii) recycling of crop residues; (iii)
use of organic manures like FYM, compost, vermicompost, biogas, slurry, poultry manure,
biological composts, Press mud cakes, Phospho-compost (iv) utilization of biological agent;
(v) efficient genotypes; (vi) balanced use of fertilizer nutrients as per the requirement and
target yields.
Impact of injudicious uses of chemical fertilizers
Intensive agriculture, despite boosting food output, has resulted in second-
generation nutritional imbalance issues. Some examples of such issues are: (i) greater mining
of soil nutrients to the extent of 10 MT every year, depleting soil fertility (ii) emerging
deficiencies of secondary and micronutrients (iii) decline of the water table and its quality of
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water (iv) decreasing organic carbon content (v) and overall deterioration in soil health.
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Soil quality and agricultural productivity
The environment that the soil offers for root growth determines the soil's capacity
for generating crops, because roots require air, water, nutrients, and enough room to thrive.
How well roots develop is determined by soil characteristics such as water storage capacity,
soil reaction, depth, texture, and density. Changes in these soils have a direct impact on the
plant's health. For example, bulk density, a measure of the compactness of a soil, it affects
agricultural productivity. When the bulk density of soil increased beyond the critical level, it
becomes more difficult for roots to penetrate the soil, thereby impeding root growth. Heavy
farm equipment, erosion and the loss of soil organic matter can lead to increases in bulk
density. These variations in soil quality have an impact on the plant's health and productivity,
which can result in reduced yields and/or greater production costs (Tables 1, 2 and 3).
Effect of INM on soil physical properties
Soil physical properties are closely related with SOC and OM, thus, any soil
management practice that enhances soil organic matter has direct bearing on soil physical
properties and microbial biomass, for this, combined use of organic and inorganic nutrient
sources might be the right proposition for these soils, primarily for the improvement of soil
physical health. Significant improvement in the soil physical conditions of the soil was
observed by many researchers under integrated application of organic manure and inorga nic
fertilizers. The addition of NPK fertilizers along with organic manure, lime and biofertilizers
increased SOC, WSA, moisture-retention capacity, and infiltration rate of the soil while
reducing bulk density, Incorporation of organic either in the form of crop residue, organic
manure or amendment has a significant effect on BD of agricultural soils, soil aggregation,
soil structure, soil moistureretention capacity and infiltration rate. The SOC, BD, WHC,
WSA and fertility status of the soil improved by the integration of organics with inorganic,
organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon increased in the treatments receiving an
application of organic manures (particularly FYM), green manure and biofertilizers in
conjunction with inorganic fertilizers (Table 1). Build up of organic carbon in soil was
relatively higher in macro-aggregates compared to microaggregates.
Table 1. Integrated impact of nutrient management on soil physical properties
Crops Response of integrated nutrient management References
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Wheat RDF + FYM @ 5 ton ha-1 significantly reduced BD 05
Maize Significantly improved total porosity, HC, soil moisture 06
content
Cotton-Wheat Significantly improved in BD, total porosity, WSA, MWD 08
Pea-Wheat Soil moisture conserves, significantly increased WSA, MWD 09
Soybean Significantly decreased in bulk density 02
Tomato Soil temperature, BD significantly reduced 10
Wheat-Soybean Significantly reduced BD, increased MWD, SOC 03
Rice–Wheat Increased MWD, total porosity, WHC 11
Maize–Mustard Significantly increased WSA, WHC, and decreased BD 01
Effect of INM on soil fertility
Many researches observed a substantial increase in soil fertility status while the
majority of agricultural soil fertility worsened day by day owing to the unbalanced
application of mineral fertiliser. The application of organic manure with RDF increased t he
soil's SOC, and this combination had a substantial impact on crop growth, development, and
productivity. Most of the research results clearly demonstrated that INM enhances the yield
potential of crops over and above achievable yield with recommended fertilizers (Table 2),
and results in better synchrony of crop N needs due to (a) slower mineralization of organics;
(b) reduced N losses via denitrification and nitrate leaching; (c) enhanced nutrient use
efficiency and recovery by crops, and (d) improvements in soil health and productivity, and
hence could sustain high crop yields in various cropping systems ensuring long term
sustainability of the system. Judicious application of mineral fertilizers and organic manure
along with biofertilizers and micronutrients gave highest available NPK in soil as compared
to other treatment combinations. According to Kusro stated that the organic carbon,
mineralisable nitrogen and NH4 + -N showed statistically significant increase over control.
Incorporation of FYM, GM and BGA, through an inorganic source in the treatment increased
organic carbon, mineralisable N, NH4 +-N and reduced the bulk density.
Table 2. Integrated impact of nutrient management on soil fertility and crop
productivity
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Crops Response of integrated nutrient management References
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Rice Enhance available NPK in post harvest soil 14
Wheat Increase the availability of OC, NPK 04
Maize VC + RDF enhances 100 seed weight, grain yield 07
Cotton INM significantly increased NPK uptake and sustain soil 16
fertility
Green gram Available NPK and humic substances were higher with INM 15
Chili Highest available NPK and micronutrients, higher yield with 13
INM
Pea-Wheat Significantly higher yield with manure and NP 09
Wheat-Maize Significantly increased SOC and TN, enzymatic activities 12
Cereal- GM with mineral fertilizer ensures higher crop productivity, 17
Legume soil fertility
Impact of biofertilizer on crop productivity
Biofertilizer is a substance which contains living microorganism which, when
applied to seed, plant surfaces, or soil, colonizes the rhizosphere or the interior of the plant
and promotes growth by increasing the supply or availability of primary nutrients to the host
plant. Microorganisms are not always as effective in their natural environments as one might
suppose, thus artificially reproduced cultures of efficient chosen microorganisms serve an
important role in speeding up microbial activities in soil. Use of biofertilizers is one of the
important components of INM, as they are cost effective and renewable source of plant
nutrients to supplement the chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture. Several
microorganisms and their association with crop p lants are being exploited in the production
of biofertilizers (Table 3). A number of microorganisms are considered as beneficial for
agriculture and used as biofertilizers viz. Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum,
Cyanobacteria, Azolla, Phosphate and potassium solubilizing microorganisms. Silicate
solubilizing bacteria, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and these are also available as
liquid biofertilizers.
Table 3. INM impact of mineral fertilization and biofertilizer on crop performance and soil
health
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Crops Response of biofertilizers with mineral fertilization References
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
Soybean RDF with biofertilizers resulted improve soil productivity,fertility and 20
nutrient status
Wheat Significant response of biofertilizers on growth and crop productivity 22
Sunflower Significantly higher grain and biological yield with biofertilizer –N 21
fertilization-FYM
Mungbean Significantly enhanced crop productivity and soil fertility status with 23
bioinoculants and mineral fertilization
Lentil FYM and biofertilizer improve the soil health 19
Apple Biofertilizers play a significant role in the crop production, help to 18
build up the lost 60 micro flora and improve the crop yield and soil
health
Strategies for further development of INM
The amount of benefits that INM techniques may provide to farmers, as well as the
environmental benefits, is incredible. We have designed and synthesized various techniques
and current opportunities that could be accessible and further enhanced by modification and
changes in the implementation of site-specific INM practises by analysing numerous research
papers. Future strategic development of INM under following points (i) combination of soil
and plant analysis (ii) fine-tuned to the local environmental conditions (iii) mechanization
due to serious labor shortage (iv) conservation tillage and rainwater-harvesting technologies
(v) recycling of organic nutrient flows (vi) new technological innovations, and (vii)
appropriate policy interventions.
Conclusion
INM entails using all available plant nutrients to optimize nutrient inputs,
geographical and temporal matching of soil nutrient availability with crop demand, and
decreasing nitrogen losses while increasing crop output. Agricultural input interaction leads
to increased crop yield while minimising N losses and GHG emissions, judicious mineral and
organic fertilisation with greater resource-use efficiency, and improved soil-plant- microbe-
environmental sustainability. The balanced use of organic manures will be essential for crop
production and environmental issues, which should be a top focus for INM practises,
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Vol.1 Issue-12, AUGUST 2021 (e-ISSN: 2582-8223)
providing a “win–win” chance to boost crop output while also maintaining agricultural
sustainability.
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