Soil Micronutrient Deficiencies in the Rice-Wheat Cropping System

Zn deficient

Unaffected

ZnSO4 treated

icronutrient deficiencies in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) started emerging with the adoption and spread of intensive agriculture in the region. Imbalanced use of macronutrient fertilizers, decreased use of organic manure, reduced recycling of crop residues, and bumper harvests in the past three decades have induced secondary and micronutrient deficiencies in the IGP. In several areas with intensive cropping, zinc (Zn) deficiency appeared initially and subsequently the deficiencies of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), boron (B), and molybdenum (Mo) were recorded. The severity of these deficiencies depended on the soil conditions and the crop grown. Rice crop removes larger quantities of micronutrients compared to wheat. Increase in fertility levels progressively increases the total removal of micronutrients due to increased dry matter production.

Uptake (kg/ha) of Micronutrients by Rice and Wheat

Fertility level* Control Low Medium High
* Control = Low = Medium = High =

Biomass (t/ha) Rice Wheat 6.5 8.8 12.9 14.5 4.1 7.5 10.2 12.4

Zn 0.12 0.17 0.25 0.30

Cu

Rice Mn 0.35 0.57 0.80 0.97

Fe 1.68 2.51 3.43 4.06

Zn 0.07 0.12 0.17 0.20

Cu 0.03 0.05 0.08 0.09

Wheat Mn 0.11 0.21 0.28 0.33

Fe 0.70 1.30 1.83 2.33

0.09 0.13 0.19 0.22

0:0:0; 60:30:30 120:60:60 180:90:90 of N:P2O 5:K2O

Source: Gupta and Mehla, 1993

Rice and wheat are important in the national food security of the IGP. The rice-wheat system, though remunerative, has resulted in the over-exploitation of the natural soil resource base, which has been further enhanced by the imbalanced use of inputs. Continued emphasis on maximization of food grain production without appropriate management practies from a shrinking land resource base will result in further depletion of micronutrient reserves. The simplest solution to alleviate micronutrient deficiency is the application of micronutrient fertilizers to the crop.

Problems in Alleviating Micronutrient Deficiencies

z Difficulty in the identification of field crop deficiency

symptoms. z Variation in soil micronutrient status, soil pH, rainfall duration and intensity, and seasonal fluctuations in the groundwater levels and temperature regimes in the region. z Inadequate facilities and field tests to validate critical levels of soil and plant micronutrients in the region.

z Soil parent material z Industrial and urban effluents z Agricultural chemicals and fertilizers z Irrigation water

Source of Micronutrients in Soils

If micronutrient deficiencies that Projected Demand for Micronutrients in India constrain high productivity are not identified, monitored, and alleviated, the fertilizer use efficiency of costly chemical fertilizers and other agricultural inputs will be markedly reduced. The projected micronutrient demand for 2025 in India is expected to increase by five to 10 times the present consumption level (Sehgal, 1999). This would entail the use of fertilizer nutrients in the right proportion, with efficient application methods and at the appropriate time of crop growth. Also, it is essential to augment the availability of native nutrients by modifying soil environment through Total and Available Micronutrient Content of Indian Soils management practices in different Micronutrient Total content Available micronutrient crops and cropping systems. (mg/kg soil) (mg/kg soil)
Content Zinc Copper Iron Manganese Boron Molybdenum 2 to 1,019 1.9 to 960 2700 to 191,000 37 to 11,500 3.8 to 630 0.01 to 18.1 0.2 to 6.9 0.1 to 8.2 0.8 to 196 0.2 to 118 0.08 to 2.6 0.07 to 7.67 Mean 0.9 2.1 19.0 21.0 -

Source: Takkar, 1982; Singh, 1999

Extent of Micronutrient Deficiencies

The total micronutrient contents of soils are of limited value to plant growth and responses to their application. To match the levels of micronutrients in soil with plant requirement, their available contents in soils are determined. Like total contents, the available micronutrient status of soils is also highly variable. Soil properties exercise a considerable influence on the availability of micronutrients. Therefore, the extent of micronutrient deficiency varies not only in different states and districts but also in different blocks within the same district depending upon the soil characteristics and other management conditions.

Extent of Micronutrient Deficiency in the Soils of India

State Bihar Haryana Punjab Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Total
Source: Singh, 1999

No. of soil samples 19214 21848 16483 26126 6547 90218

Percent soil samples deficient Zn Cu Fe Mn 54.0 60.5 48.1 45.7 36.0 50.6 3 2 1 1 0 2 6 20 14 6 0 10 2 4 2 2 3 3

Areas of Deficiency
z Zinc deficiency is the most widespread in the four IGP countries (Bangladesh, India, z z z z z

Nepal, Pakistan). Some areas in Punjab, India revealed a marked decrease in the extent of zinc deficiency but there has been an increase in the deficiency of iron and manganese. The extent of iron deficiency is approximately a fifth that of zinc deficiency and is largely influenced by the vast areas under alkaline to calcareous soil tracts. Iron deficiency is only second in importance after zinc deficiency in Punjab and Haryana in India. Manganese deficiency is in localized sites where rice-wheat crop rotation is practiced in coarse-textured soils. Copper deficiency is not widespread in the IGP, but deficiency based on plant analysis is higher than soil analysis. The critical limits used for soil copper or plant copper need to be re-calibrated. The incidence of boron deficiency was highest in the acid soils of West Bengal followed by the calcareous soils of Bihar.

Diagnosis of Micronutrient Deficiency

The assessment of micronutrient deficiency can be made through visual leaf symptoms and soil and plant analyses. Response of crops to the application of micronutrients not only confirms the deficiencies but also helps in determining nutrient needs.

Deficiency Symptoms Visual symptoms of zinc Visual recognition of leaf symptoms is important in the deficiency in rice identification of nutrient disorders in crops. Nutrients like iron and plants first appear boron, which are not readily translocated from old to young leaves on older leaves. under stress conditions within the plant are called immobile nutrients and their deficiency symptoms first appear on young leaves. Due to the variable mobility of zinc, copper, molybdenum, and manganese under conditions of their deficiency, the location of their symptoms in different crops and crop species may vary depending upon the degree of their mobility. Confident diagnosis by this method, however, requires much experience, as the symptoms of some nutrient deficiencies are difficult to differentiate without a thorough knowledge. Another limitation of this technique is that by the time the deficiency symptoms appear, the crop has undergone a marked set back and the corrective measures taken at that time may not produce optimum yields. The diagnosis by this method should be confirmed through soil and plant analyses followed by designing experiments of crop response to the added micronutrient of interest. Plant Analysis Plant analysis is widely used as a means of detecting micronturient deficiency and the need for fertilizing the crops. Under conditions of hidden micronutrient deficiency, plant analysis is the most effective method for diagnosis of micronutrient disorders. This is because neither the plant exhibits visual deficiency symptoms, nor do the soil tests precisely predict such situations.

Soil Analysis Soil analysis is an invaluable and convenient diagnostic tool for quick and timely assessment of micronturient availability. Several chemical extraction procedures have been used to measure the plant available micronutrients.

Critical Levels for Micronutrients in the IGP

Future Micronutrient Research Needs

The relatively minor problem of soil micronutrient deficiency at the begining of the Green Revolution three decades ago is a factor to reckon with in present times in sustaining the productivity of rice and wheat in the IGP. The monoculture of rice and wheat of the past has given rise to an exhausting soil micronutrient feeder rice-wheat cropping system of the present day. Proper management of the rice-wheat cropping system is a key to minimize crop yield reduction induced by micronutrient deficiency. There is a general lack of awareness among farmers on micronutirent deficiency problems. Except for the acknowledgment of zinc deficiency (commonly known as khaira) by farmers, existence of other micronutrient deficiencies is not a common knowledge and under a perceived optimum management condition, poor yields of rice and wheat are often described by farmers as being due to sickly soils.

khaira

The critical micronutrient values for both soils and plants in the IGP have not been extensively field tested; field validation will be of immense help to researchers and extension specialists. Information on crop response to micronutrients and soil micronutrient analysis in the IGP has been scattered. An ecoregional soil micronutrient status-analysis within the IGP and synthesis of this information using geographic positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS) will facilitate delineating regions of specific

deficiencies. This will help formulate on-farm diagnostic and adaptive research, spreading of awareness amongst farmers, and extrapolating results to similar sub-ecoregions within the IGP where intervention programs on micronutrients can be undertaken. More information on the transformation and availability of micronutrients for different soils and the effect of manipulating the soil physical environment and its moisture regimes on plant available micronutrients need to be generated. Continuous use of farmyard manure or of other organic sources arrests the depletion of available micronutrient pools from soils. Development of integrated micronutrient technology using available organic materials is needed not only to increase micronutrient use efficiency but also to decrease the pressure on the use of costly inorganic micronutrient carriers. Field experiments have proved the superiority of zinc sulfate as a zinc carrier. Increasing costs coupled with a shortfall in supply of zinc sulfate has necessitated investigations on evaluating sparingly soluble zinc sources or ores combined with zinc mobilizers. The residual availability of various sources of micronutrients for a cropping system needs to be worked out. For soils marginal in micronutrient supply, new interventions like seed treatment need investigations to help save the costly micronutrient fertilizer. Micronutrients like boron whose deficiency and toxicity limits for crops are very narrow require careful investigations including its field testing for rates and frequency of application. Finally, the identification and/or breeding for micronutrient efficient crop cultivars having either low micronutrient requirement for potential yields or capable of mining micronutrients from the less available pools should be given priority.

References
Gupta, V.K. and D.S. Mehla. 1993. Depletion of Micronutrients from Soil and their Uptake in Rice-Wheat Rotation. Journal of Indian Society of Soil Science 4:704-706. Sehgal, V. 1999. Indian Agriculture 1999. Indian Economic Data Research Centre, New Delhi, India. 600 pp. Singh, M.V. 1999. Micronutrient Deficiency Delineation and Soil Fertility Mapping. In: National Symposium on Zinc Fertilizer Industry - Whither To (Ramendra Singh and Abhay Kumar, eds.). Session II. Takkar, P.N. 1982. Micronutrients: Forms, Contents Distribution in Profile, Indices of Availability and Soil Test Methods. pages 361-391 In: Reviews of Soil Research in India. Part 1. 12th International Congress of Soil Science, New Delhi, India.

Adapted from: Nayyar, V.K., C.L. Arora and P.K. Kataki. 2001. Management of Soil Micronutrient Deficiencies in the Rice-Wheat Cropping System. pages 87-131. In: Kataki, P.K. (ed). The Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems of South Asia: Efficient Production Management. Food Products Press, New York, USA. Corresponding author:

V.K. Nayyar