Balanced fertilisation entails applying all essential macronutrients and micronutrients in appropriate proportions, quantities, timing, and methods, based on crop requirements, soil fertility status, and prevailing climatic conditions.

The Green Revolution marked a decisive turning point in India’s agricultural history. The introduction of fertiliser-responsive high-yielding varieties of rice and wheat during the mid-1960s, supported by expanded irrigation and the use of chemical fertilisers, transformed the country from a “hand-to-mouth” situation into a self-sufficient and, eventually, a food-exporting nation. This rapid enhancement in foodgrain production not only ensured national food security but also significantly reduced hunger and improved rural livelihoods, positioning India as a model for other developing countries.

Read in Hindi: उर्वरकों के संतुलित उपयोग से खेती को मिलेगा नया संबल

However, the intensification that underpinned these productivity gains gradually revealed its limitations. Continuous cultivation, coupled with a disproportionate reliance on nitrogenous fertilisers and a decline in the use of organic manures, led to nutrient imbalances and a steady deterioration of soil health. Excessive and imbalanced fertiliser use accelerated the depletion of secondary and micronutrients, degraded soil structure, and increased nutrient losses through runoff and leaching.

Imbalanced fertilisation has far-reaching consequences beyond soil degradation. These processes further contribute to environmental contamination and pose potential health risks. These adverse effects also extend to the livestock sector, as crops cultivated on nutrient-depleted soils often lack essential minerals required in feed and fodder, resulting in compromised animal health and diminished productivity.

Consequently, nutrient imbalance constitutes a significant constraint to the long-term sustainability and efficiency of integrated crop-livestock production systems. Therefore, maintaining soil fertility and adopting scientifically sound practices are fundamental to the sustainability of agricultural production. Soil fertility, determined by its chemical, physical, and biological properties, constitutes the basis for efficient nutrient use, economic viability, and environmental protection.

In response to the emerging challenges of Imbalanced fertilization, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research initiated the All India Coordinated Research Project on Long-Term Fertiliser Experiments. Implemented across a wide range of agro-ecological regions and cropping systems, the study was designed to evaluate the long-term effects of sustained fertiliser application on soil health, crop productivity, and system sustainability.

The study has provided robust empirical evidence on nutrient mining, soil degradation, and the need for rational fertiliser management, thereby informing policy formulation and promoting rational nutrient management practices to sustain high-input agriculture while safeguarding environmental health.

Balanced nutrient management enhances fertiliser use efficiency by maximising nutrient uptake and minimising losses, while fostering synergistic interactions among nutrients that support improved plant growth, crop performance, and productivity. It sustains soil fertility over the long term, including soil organic matter and biological health, helps bridge the yield gap between potential and realised crop yields through adequate nutrition, and reduces environmental impacts such as nutrient runoff, leaching, and greenhouse gas emissions arising from imbalanced fertiliser use.

The scientific basis of balanced fertilisation can be traced to Justus von Liebig’s Law of the Minimum, which states that crop growth is constrained by the nutrient that is most limiting, regardless of the abundance of other nutrients. This principle underscores the futility of excessive application of a single nutrient when other essential nutrients remain deficient.

Balanced fertilisation, therefore, refers to the application of all essential plant nutrients-macronutrients and micronutrients- in appropriate proportions, quantities, timing, and methods, based on crop requirements, soil fertility status, and prevailing climatic conditions. It goes beyond the conventional practice of applying only nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and integrates a holistic nutrient management approach.

Achieving balanced fertilisation requires a multi-pronged strategy that integrates science, policy, technology, and farmer participation. The following measures are crucial for ensuring sustainable nutrient management in Indian agriculture:

Integrated Nutrient Management is a core strategy for achieving balanced fertilisation and is grounded in the Smart Nutrient Use principle, a practical, science-based framework. It enables the efficient, economical, and sustainable application of nutrients by judiciously integrating organic inputs, mineral fertilisers, and biological sources. INM recognises that neither chemical fertilisers nor organic inputs alone are sufficient to meet the complete nutritional requirements of crops.

By improving soil structure and increasing organic matter content, regenerative practices enhance the soil’s capacity to retain nutrients and moisture, thereby improving nutrient uptake by crops. This leads to reduced nutrient losses, lower need for repeated fertiliser applications, and more efficient nutrient use, supporting balanced fertilisation. In the Indian context, widely adopted regenerative practices include micro-irrigation, precision mechanisation, natural farming, cover cropping, mulching, and a climate-resilient agricultural system.

Overall, balanced fertilisation has become central to India’s strategy for sustaining agricultural productivity while addressing emerging challenges of soil degradation, nutrient imbalance, and environmental stress.