Summary
This narrative review evaluates real-time nitrogen management strategies for sustainable cereal agriculture in India, focusing on sensor-based technologies including SPAD metres, Leaf Color Charts, and optical/electromagnetic induction sensors that enable site-specific nitrogen application. The authors argue that integrating these tools optimises nitrogen use efficiency and crop productivity whilst reducing environmental impacts, but identify critical barriers to adoption—namely technology costs, data interpretation complexity, and insufficient farmer education. The review concludes that interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, extension agents, policymakers, and farmers is essential to develop user-friendly, cost-effective solutions that support sustainable agricultural intensification and global food security.
UK applicability
The underlying principles of real-time nitrogen sensing and site-specific application are relevant to UK cereal production, where nitrogen fertiliser efficiency and environmental stewardship are policy priorities. However, the specific technologies and implementation strategies discussed are primarily contextualised for Indian smallholder and medium-scale farming systems; UK applications would require adaptation to different farm scales, infrastructure, climate conditions, and regulatory frameworks.
Key measures
Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), crop yield, nitrogen application timing and rates, spatial variability in crop nitrogen status, environmental impact reduction
Outcomes reported
This review examined emerging real-time nitrogen management strategies and technologies (SPAD meters, Leaf Color Charts, optical and electromagnetic induction sensors) designed to optimise nitrogen use efficiency and crop productivity in cereal-based systems. The paper synthesises evidence on how these tools enable site-specific nitrogen application and identifies implementation barriers including technology cost, data interpretation, and farmer education.
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