Application of nitrogen in production and post-production systems of agriculture and its effect on environment in India

Nitrogen in various chemical forms plays a major role in large number of environmental issues. Some atmospheric nitrogen combines with oxygen to form nitrogen-oxide which is hazardous to environment. India cannot avoid the use of chemical fertilizers as the demand for food for the ever-growing population is very high. The present annual production of food grains is about 191 million tonnes. The target of achieving food grain production by 2000 AD is 220 million tonnes to feed about 1000 million people. A rapid increase in agricultural production is possible only by increasing the application of chemical fertilizers. Over 9 million tonnes of nitrogen is used for crop production annually in India, but there is still a great shortage of nitrogen to meet the requirement of crops; hence, the gap between demand and supply is very high. The major application of nitrogen in post-production is in food preservation. With the modernization in technology and the liberalized economy and market system, the demand for processed food items is increasing; therefore, the application of nitrogen in food industries will also increase in the near future. Thus, the application of nitrogen for various purposes is increasing without its adverse effect on the environment being realised. It is essential to visualize the seriousness of population growth on economy and environment. The consumption patterns existing within society must be based on the clear understanding of the carrying capacity of the land. An attempt has been made to present the status of application of nitrogen in crop production and food preservation in India. Scientific research carried out on food preservation with application of nitrogen has also been described. A future demand for nitrogen for these activities has been highlighted. The effect of nitrogen on the environment and measures to overcome it are suggested in this paper.