Abstract :
The basic concept of integrated nutrient management (INM) or integrated plant nutrition management (IPNM) is the adjustment of plant nutrient supply to an optimum level for sustaining the desired crop productivity. It involves proper combination of chemical fertilizers, organic manure, crop residues, N2 fixing crops like pulses such as rice bean, Black gram (Paheli dal) and other pulses. Pulses largely meet their N requirement through biological N fixation and consequently need only a starter dose of 20-25 kg ha-1. Oilseed crops are energy rich crops and obviously the requirement of major nutrient including secondary and micronutrient is very high. Considerable variations in nutrient removal occur from situation to situation depending on crop production, soil fertility, amount of crop residues left over in the field and their composition. Some of the cropping systems involving oilseeds may removes as much as 400 to 800 kg nutrients (N=P2O5+K2O ha-1) under high productivity conditions. The INM package must integrate the comparative advantages of diverse sources of nutrients for more efficient and cost effective nutrient management of oilseeds and pulses. While possibilities for INM are real and attractive, most nutrient packages for high yields of oilseeds and pulses required to meet the vegetable needs of the expanding population from non-expanding area, will continue to be fertilizer driven. This assessment in no way underestimates the importance of other nutrient sources, most of which are gainfully integrable.
