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  • © 2015

Nutrient Use Efficiency: from Basics to Advances

  • The book covers virtually all aspects of nutrient use efficiency, both traditional as well as modern in a holistic manner
  • Provides up-to-date and indepth scientific knowledge on agronomical, physiological, microbial, biochemical and genetical strategies and mechanisms for increasing nutrient use efficiency
  • Explains the importance of multifunctional microbial plant symbionts; slow and controlled-release as well as stabilized fertilizers in improving plant growth and productivity
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

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Table of contents (26 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxiii
  2. Nutrient Use Efficiency in Plants: An Overview

    • V. C. Baligar, N. K. Fageria
    Pages 1-14
  3. Nutrients as a Key Driver of Nutrient Use Efficiency

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-15
    2. Resource Conserving Techniques for Improving Nitrogen-Use Efficiency

      • Anchal Dass, Shankar Lal Jat, K. S. Rana
      Pages 45-58
    3. Strategies for Enhancing Phosphorus Efficiency in Crop Production Systems

      • Avishek Datta, Sangam Shrestha, Zannatul Ferdous, Cho Cho Win
      Pages 59-71
    4. Strategies for Enhancing Zinc Efficiency in Crop Plants

      • P. C. Srivastava, Deepa Rawat, S. P. Pachauri, Manoj Shrivastava
      Pages 87-101
    5. Nitrification Inhibitors: Classes and Its Use in Nitrification Management

      • Rajesh Kumar, Balraj S. Parmar, Suresh Walia, Supradip Saha
      Pages 103-122
  4. Microbiological Aspects of Nutrient Use Efficiency

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 123-123
    2. Role of Microorganisms in Plant Nutrition and Health

      • Om Prakash, Rohit Sharma, Praveen Rahi, Nanjappan Karthikeyan
      Pages 125-161
    3. Role of Cyanobacteria in Nutrient Cycle and Use Efficiency in the Soil

      • Manish Kumar, D. P. Singh, Ratna Prabha, Arun K. Sharma
      Pages 163-171
    4. Trichoderma Improves Nutrient Use Efficiency in Crop Plants

      • Sayaji T. Mehetre, Prasun K. Mukherjee
      Pages 173-180
    5. Bio-priming Mediated Nutrient Use Efficiency of Crop Species

      • Amitava Rakshit, Kumai Sunita, Sumita Pal, Akanksha Singh, Harikesh Bahadur Singh
      Pages 181-191
    6. Unrealized Potential of Seed Biopriming for Versatile Agriculture

      • Kartikay Bisen, Chetan Keswani, Sandhya Mishra, Amrita Saxena, Amitava Rakshit, H. B. Singh
      Pages 193-206
  5. Molecular and Physiological Aspects of Nutrient Use Efficiency

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 207-207
    2. MicroRNA-Based Approach to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Crop Plants

      • Subodh K. Sinha, R. Srinivasan, P. K. Mandal
      Pages 221-235
    3. Biofortification for Selecting and Developing Crop Cultivars Denser in Iron and Zinc

      • Sushil Kumar, Nepolean Thirunavukkarasu, Govind Singh, Ramavtar Sharma, Kalyani S. Kulkarni
      Pages 237-253

About this book

This book addresses in detail multifaceted approaches to boosting nutrient use efficiency (NUE) that are modified by plant interactions with environmental variables and combine physiological, microbial, biotechnological and agronomic aspects. Conveying an in-depth understanding of the topic will spark the development of new cultivars and strains to induce NUE, coupled with best management practices that will immensely benefit agricultural systems, safeguarding their soil, water, and air quality. Written by recognized experts in the field, the book is intended to provide students, scientists and policymakers with essential insights into holistic approaches to NUE, as well as an overview of some successful case studies. In the present understanding of agriculture, NUE represents a question of process optimization in response to the increasing fragility of our natural resources base and threats to food grain security across the globe. Further improving nutrient use efficiency is a prerequisite to reducing production costs, expanding crop acreage into non-competitive marginal lands with low nutrient resources, and preventing environmental contamination. The nutrients most commonly limiting plant growth are N, P, K, S and micronutrients like Fe, Zn, B and Mo. NUE depends on the ability to efficiently take up the nutrient from the soil, but also on transport, storage, mobilization, usage within the plant and the environment. A number of approaches can help us to understand NUE as a whole. One involves adopting best crop management practices that take into account root-induced rhizosphere processes, which play a pivotal role in controlling nutrient dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. New technologies, from basic tools like leaf color charts to sophisticated sensor-based systems and laser land leveling, can reduce the dependency on laboratory assistance and manual labor. Another approach concerns the development of crop plants through genetic manipulations thatallow them to take up and assimilate nutrients more efficiently, as well as identifying processes of plant responses to nutrient deficiency stress and exploring natural genetic variation. Though only recently introduced, the ability of microbial inoculants to induce NUE is gaining in importance, as the loss, immobilization, release and availability of nutrients are mediated by soil microbial processes.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Varanasi, India

    Amitava Rakshit

  • Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Varanasi, India

    Harikesh Bahadur Singh

  • Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Varanasi, India

    Avijit Sen

About the editors

Amitava Rakshit, an IIT, Kharagpur alumnus is presently the faculty member in the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry at Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University(IAS, BHU). Dr. Rakshit worked in the Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal in administration and extension roles. He has visited Norway, Finland, Denmark, France, Austria, Russia, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey pertaining to his research work and presentation. He was awarded with TWAS Nxt Fellow (Italy), Biovision Nxt Fellow (France), Darwin Now Bursary (British Council), Young Achiever Award and Best Teacher’s Award at UG and PG level (BHU & ICAR, New Delhi). He is serving as review college member of British Ecological Society, London since 2011. He has published 70 research papers, 15 book chapters, 28 popular articles, one manual and co authored five books.

Avijit Sen is presently Professor and Head in the Department of Agronomy, IAS, BHU. He has presented more than 40 research papers and delivered lectures in conferences/seminars/refresher courses within and outside the country besides handling 5 ad-hoc projects. Currently he is the Deputy Coordinator of the prestigious Special Assistance Programme awarded to the Department by UGC. He is recipient of CWSS Gold Medal 2013. With 33 years of experience, he has published more than 60 research papers and articles, and written 3 chapters of books till date.

Harikesh  B.  Singh  is  presently Professor  of  Mycology  and  Plant  Pathology  at  IAS, BHU. He served State Agriculture University, Central University and CSIR Institute in teaching, research, and extension roles. In recognition of Prof. Singh’s scientific contributions and leadership in the field of plant pathology, he was honored with several prestigious awards, notable being, CSIR Prize for Biological Sciences, Vigyan Bharti Award, Prof. V.P. Bhide Memorial Award, BRSI Industrial Medal Award, Bioved Fellowship Award, Prof. Panchanan Maheshwari, IPS Plant Pathology Leader Award, CSIR–CAIRD Team award, Environment Conservation Award, CST Vigyan Ratna Award and many more. Dr. Singh  has  been  the Fellow  of  National  Academy  of  Agricultural  Sciences. Prof. Singh has written two  books,  several  training  modules  and  manuals  and  more  than 150  research  publications  and  has  more than 18 US patents and 3 PCTs to his credit.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access