Study Notes on Balanced Plant Nutrition

This article provides a study note on balanced plant nutrition.

The concept of balanced plant nutrition is very simple and has developed more than 150 years ago. The idea is that a crop requires an adequate supply of all essential nutrients for optimum growth. If more than one is limiting/short, growth is determined by the nutrient which is in lowest/limited supply.

This is similar to the fact that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If several nutrients are in short supply, it is necessary to apply all of them to derive optimum production. Balanced plant nutrition (BPN) is an integrated approach to meet the nutritional requirements of the crop throughout its lifecycle.

The focus of BPN is the sustainability of the agro-system. It encompasses basics of nutrient management and nutrient balancing based on crop types and stages of crops growth to ensure optimal crop-soil-environment health. BPN does not stop at administering the major three N, P and K fertilizers but also incorporates the use of secondary and micro-nutrients, and organic manures.

In a generalized way BPN may be defined as:

Balanced plant nutrition = NPK fertilizers + Limiting nutrient(s) (based on soil tests)

The advantages of balanced plant nutrition are as follows:

(i) Optimizes quantitative as well as qualitative yields.

(ii) Maximises benefit: cost ratio.

(iii) Avoids wastefulness of applied agro-inputs (better utilization of NPK fertilizers).

(iv) Avoids antagonistic effects among nutrients in soil-plant systems.

(v) Decreases the incidence of nutrient deficiency, toxicities and hidden hunger.

(vi) Produces normal crop even under poor soil conditions.

(vii) Maintains healthy and productive soil.

(viii) Renders plant competent by increasing its immunity to stress and pest attack. (ix) Maintains eco-friendly environment.

For the best management of plant nutrients, there are tips of 4 ‘R’ to be considered for applying fertilizers as a source of inputs.

(i) Right source to be identified

(ii) Right rate to be used

(iii) Right time application of fertilizers to be done in order to bring the system cost effective.

(iv) Right place fertilizer application to be done for preventing loss of costly inputs.