Compendium on Micronutrient Fertilisers in India Crop Response & Impact, Recent Advances and Industry Trends

Copyright © 2022 by Dr. Shama Zaidi & Dr. Rahul Mirchandani.

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Preface

The importance of balanced crop nutrition as a national imperative, essential to double farm income, is well recognized over the decades. With the efforts of the Micro Fertilizers and Specialty Plant Nutrition industry, millions of Indian farmers have been made aware of the good agricultural practices that lead to sustainably feeding their crops with all essential plant nutrients. The role of each micronutrient has been carefully demonstrated using demos, trials and extensive field research.

To chronicle the industry wide current body of research on micronutrient fertilisers, their importance, availability, methods of supplementation and role in integrated nutrient management, IMMA presents with great pleasure this Compendium on various aspects of Micronutrient Nutrition.

The Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) was established in 1983 to represent the interests of the micronutrient manufacturers throughout the country. Our members have been working with the farming communities for almost 40 years and have played a vital role in making balanced plant nutrition a National Imperative. IMMA has three major focus areas of work: Policy Advocacy with Government, Knowledge and Skills Training of staff and stakeholders across India, as well as developing unity and Fellowship amongst members.

I am delighted that the second edition of this Compendium has been carefully curated and will serve as a comprehensive and authoritative pool of information on various aspects of Micronutrient fertilisers, covering a wide range of topics from the basics of detecting and correcting deficiencies, salient features of different variants of micronutrient fertilisers, new developments like Nano fertilisers, real time nutrient assessment, use of drones, customised and innovative fertilisers. This edition further documents the impact of micronutrients on human health and also lists state specific grades and presents industry pooled data on usage of Micronutrients at various University trials.

With this rich pool of latest information, farmers, industry colleagues and the scientific community will undoubtedly find this Compendium as an essential reference for everything related to the Micro Fertiliser Industry. The agricultural demonstrators, policy makers and agri extension workers would also find this Compendium very useful.

The effort to gather all the data and analysis presented in the Compendium has been tremendous and IMMA gratefully acknowledges the time and energy put in by Dr. Shama Zaidi and her colleagues Mr. Jayapradeep Subramanian, Ms.Anagha Gaikwad, Ms. Karishma Talekar, Mr Amey Rane and Mr. Sachin Sawant at Aries Agro Ltd. This Compendium is available on IMMA’s website in e-book form and also in hard copy.

IMMA shall be open to receive further information and research data from its members and other industry colleagues to update this Compendium for future editions. The usage of this volume and its widespread circulation will be the best reward that our Association shall receive for this massive effort.

Sincerely

Dr. Rahul Mirchandani

President

Indian Micro-Fertilisers

Manufacturers Association

6th May, 2022

New Delhi

Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks are due to

M/s ARIES AGRO LIMITED for permitting Dr. Shama Zaidi to complete this task.

All authors and publishers pertaining to the articles from where several information are taken and All IMMA Members and Agro Inputs Manufacturers Association (India) who have forwarded their research information for this compendium.

Indian Micro-Fertilizers

Manufacturers Association

Bringing all round improvement, friendship and unity amongst the manufacturers of micronutrients across India, since over 35 years

About IMMA

The Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) works for the welfare of manufacturers engaged in manufacture of micro nutrients. IMMA has a PAN India presence and is has been a united voice for Indian micronutrient manufacturers for more than 35 years. IMMA has a seat on key statutory policy making bodies, like the State Fertilizer Committees and the Bureau of Indian Standards. IMMA is also a member of Fertilizer Association of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

IMMA’s flagship National Crop Nutrition Summits

IMMA brings together all stakeholders - Government, Scientists, Research Institutions, Farmers, other Industry Associations for our flagship National Crop Nutrition Summits for a comprehensive dialogue with IMMA members and based on the deliberations, a Communiqué is released summarizing specific challenges and proposed solutions.

IMMA strives to share best practices amongst members, by bringing together top scientists and researchers for expert technical sessions, visits to best-in-class labs to standardize analytical methods and publishing latest research papers in the periodical IMMA Bulletins.

Policy Advocacy

IMMA continuously interacts with concerned Ministers, Agricultural Commissioner & policy makers at the Central and State Governments.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF IMMA

POLICY ADVOCACY

1. To arrange through the Association, healthy dialogue between various institutions as and when necessary.

2. To make efforts for the welfare of related institutions, farmers, dealers, etc. and to unite them to safeguard the interest of common nature so as to bring all round prosperity.

3. To bring about the understanding between government, manufacturers and consumers for the benefit of all.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

4. To hold agricultural seminars, Exhibitions, Demonstrations, etc.

5. To improve technical knowledge of the members.

6. To educate, guide and advice on various Acts like Fertilizer Control Order, Weight & Measures Act and Essential Commodities Act, etc.

7. To create consciousness amongst the public and to disseminate and help in dissemination of latest crop nutrition techniques.

8. To keep the Members informed from time to time about Acts, Rules, Policies, Experiments, Research, Plans, etc.

FELLOWSHIP

9. To bring all round improvement, friendship and unity among the manufacturers of micronutrients

10. To help to solve the disputes, difference of opinion etc. between the members of the Association.

11. To undertake any other activity necessary in the interest of the Association as maybe deemed necessary.

Contents

LIST OF ANNEXURES

CHAPTER 1: MICRONUTRIENTS – IMPORTANCE, AVAILABILITY AND UPTAKE

Section 1.1 Micronutrients - General Introduction

Section 1.2 Micronutrients - Roles And Deficiency Symptoms

Section 1.3 Detecting Micronutrient Deficiencies: Soil Analysis And Tissue Analysis

Section 1.4 Micronutrient Status Of Indian Soils

Section 1.5 Micronutrient Management For Higher Crop Production

CHAPTER 2: MICRONUTRIENT FERTILISERS

Section 2.1 Fertiliser Control Order

Section 2.2 State Specific Grades

Section 2.3 Economics Of Fertiliser Use

Section 2.4 Impact Of Fertiliser Application On Crop Yields

CHAPTER 3: METHODS OF SUPPLEMENTATION

Section 3.1 Specialty Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 a Water Soluble Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 b Slow And Controlled Release Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 c Fortified Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 d Liquid Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 e Stabilized Fertilisers

Subsection 3.1 f Customized Fertilisers

Article 1.   Need for Specialty Nutrition

Section 3.2 Chelation And Chelated Nutrients

Article 2.   Balanced Crop Nutrition Using Metal Chelates

Section 3.3 Nano-Fertilisers

Article 3.   Nanotechnology in The World Of Agriculture

CHAPTER 4: INTEGRATED NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT

Section 4.1 IPNM- Introduction

Section 4.2 4R Nutrient Stewardship For Fertilizer Management

Article 4.   Integrated Nutrition Management for Alleviation of Abiotic Stress In Crops

Section 4.3 Precision Farming And Site-Specific Nutrient Management

Section 4.4 Role Of Agricultural Extension

CHAPTER 5: MICRONUTRIENTS- IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH

Section 5.1 Micronutrient Deficiencies In Soils, Plants, Animals And Humans

Article 5.   Micronutrients: Striding Towards Food and Nutrition Security

Section 5.2 Micronutrient-Related Malnutrition

Section 5.3 Impact Of Micronutrient Deficiencies And Toxicities On Crop Productivity And Animal And Human Health

Section 5.4 Strategies To Improve Micronutrient Nutrition In Animals And Humans

Section 5.5 Biofortification- Producing Micronutrient-Rich Food

Section 5.6 Field Crops As A Rich Source Of Minerals

Article 6.   Impact of fertilizers with special reference to micronutrients on environment pertaining to human and animal health

CHAPTER 6: RECENT ADVANCES IN AGRICULURE TECHNOLOGY

Section 6.1 Recent Advances In Agriculture

Section 6.2 Real-Time Assessment Of Nutrient Status

Subsection 6.2 a Field Sensing

Subsection 6.2 b Remote Sensing

Section 6.3 Application Of Drone Technology In Agriculture

Article 7.   AGRICULTURE DRONE- Future of farm activities

CHAPTER 7: AGRICULTURAL MICRONUTRIENTS- INDUSTRY TRENDS

Section 7.1 Agricultural Micronutrients- Market In India

BIBLIOGRAPHY

List Of Annexures

List of Tables

1.1 Essential mineral nutrients for plants

1.2 Micronutrient cations and anions

1.3 Nutrient uptake by various crops

1.4 Functions of various nutrients in plants

1.5 Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms in common Crop groups

1.6 Nutrient mobility in Soil and Plants

2.1 Recommended grade as per Government of Andhra Pradesh

2.2 Recommended grade as per Government of Assam

2.3 Recommended grade as per Government of Bihar

2.4 Recommended grade as per Government of Chhattisgarh Notification No 4919

2.5 Recommended grade as per Government of Chhattisgarh Notification No 4022

2.6 Recommended grade as per Government of Gujarat

2.7 Recommended grade as per Government of Himachal Pradesh

2.8 Recommended grade as per Government of Jharkhand

2.9 Recommended grade as per Government of Karnataka

2.10 Recommended grade as per Government of Madhya Pradesh

2.11 Recommended grade as per Government of Maharashtra

2.12 Recommended grade as per Government of Orissa

2.13 Recommended grade as per Government of Tamil Nadu

2.14 Recommended grade as per Government of Rajasthan

2.15 Recommended grade as per Government of Telangana

2.16 Recommended grade as per Government of Uttaranchal

2.17 Recommended grade as per Government of Uttar Pradesh

2.18 Recommended grade as per Government of West Bengal

2.19 Cost- Benefit analysis of chelated micronutrients

2.20 Average crop responses to Zinc in field experiments

2.21 Average crop responses to Iron in field experiments

2.22 Summary of Crop responses to Boron application

3.1 Forms of N in NP / NPK complexes

3.2 Customised fertiliser formulations available in India

3.3 Impact of nanofertilisers on productivity of different crops under varying pedo-climatic conditions

3.4 Characteristics imparted by nanomaterials in different crops

4.1 Components of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship system.

5.1. Critical concentration of micronutrients in crop plants

5.2 Prevalence of the three major micronutrient deficiencies by WHO region

5.3 Selected micronutrient deficiencies, their risk factors and effects

5.4 Ferti-fortification of minerals in various crops

5.5. Foliar application of micronutrients for mineral fertilization.

5.6 Seed treatment with various micronutrients

List of Figures

1.1: Effect of soil pH on availability of plant nutrients

1.2: Some common deficiency symptoms

1.4: Portion of the plant where nutrient deficiency symptoms are first observed.

1.5: Relationship between plant growth and health and amount of nutrient available.

1.6: Micronutrient deficiency in Indian soils

1.7: Zinc deficiency status in soils of India

1.8: Iron deficiency status in soils of India

1.9: Manganese deficiency status in soils of India

1.10: Copper deficiency status in soils of India

1.11: Boron deficiency status in soils of India

1.12: Multimicronutrient and Secondary nutrient deficiency in soil

3.1a: Slow and Controlled Release fertiliser

3.1b: Slow and Controlled Release fertiliser

3.2: Role of chelates in nutrient availability

3.3: Potential smart fertiliser effects in the soil-plant system.

3.4: Potential entry points of nanoparticles into plants.

4.1: Performance applying farmyard manure (FYM) and fertilisers as integrated plant nutrient management vis-à-vis fertiliser alone in rice

4.2: Economic, social and environmental goals related to nutrient management

4.3 Performance indicators

4.4: Impact of different fertilizer placement practices for movement of nutrients into the soil

4.5: Various component practices and technologies commonly associated with specific precision agriculture systems

5.1: Visual micronutrient deficiency symptoms of various crops

5.2: Effects of micronutrient malnutrition on human health.

5.3: Different approaches to achieve biofortification

5.4: Different modes of mineral fertilization.

5.5: Different amendments under agronomic management practices to enhance mineral content in plant

6.1: Common important nutrient deficiencies in plants

6.2: Nitrogen leaf color chart (LCC)

6.3a: Hand held sensor

6.3b: Machine mounted canopy sensor

6.4: The SPAD chlorophyll meter

6.5a: The Green Seeker system in use in the field.

6.5b: Operation of the GreenSeeker on-the-go sensing system

6.6: Field Scout Green Index + Nitrogen App and Board

6.7: Typical Spectral Reflectance curves for vegetation, dry bare soil and water

6.8 i: Aerial Photo

6.8 i, ii and iii. Processed images based upon aerial photography showing the N deficient areas identified in the early season aerial photograph accurately predicted yield losses

6.9: Use of drones for spraying nutrients and pesticides

6.10: Use of drones for field imaging

7.1: Agricultural Micronutrients Market in India- Market Landscape

7.2: Key Growth Drivers- Overview

7.3: Agricultural Micronutrient Market – Based On Type

7.4: Agricultural Micronutrient Market – By Crop Type Analysis

1

Micronutrients – Importance, Availability And Uptake

1.1 MICRONUTRIENTS - GENERAL INTRODUCTION

All plants require nutrients for proper growth and development in sufficient quantities. 16 essential nutrients have been identified and grouped according to the relative amount of each that plants need,

• Primary nutrients, also known as macronutrients, are those usually required in the largest amounts. They are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen. nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The big three, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) together comprise over 75% of the mineral nutrients found in the plant.

• Secondary nutrients are those usually needed in moderate amounts compared to the primary essential nutrients. They are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

• Micro- or trace nutrients are required in tiny amounts compared to primary or secondary nutrients. Micronutrients are boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc.

• Very few plants need five other nutrients: cobalt, nickel, silicon, sodium, and vanadium.

Plants take up these nutrients from the air, the soil, and the water.

ESSENTIAL V/S BENEFICIAL NUTRIENTS

Plant nutrition involves interrelationships between complex organic/ inorganic elements in soil or soilless media and their role in plant physiology. It also takes into account the complex balance between essential and beneficial elements for optimum plant growth.

The term essential mineral element (or mineral nutrient) was proposed by Arnon and Stout (1939). They concluded three criteria must be met for an element to be considered essential. These criteria are:

• A plant must be unable to complete its life cycle in the absence of the mineral element.

• The function of the element must not be replaceable by another mineral element.

• The element must be directly involved in plant metabolism.

The beneficial elements have not been deemed essential for all plants but may be essential for some. They may compensate for toxic effects of other elements or may replace mineral nutrients in some other less specific function such as the maintenance of osmotic pressure. The distinction between beneficial and essential is often difficult in the case of some trace elements. The omission of beneficial nutrients in commercial production could mean that plants are not being grown to their optimum genetic potential but are merely produced at a subsistence level. A more holistic approach to plant nutrition would not only include only nutrients essential to survival but would also include beneficial mineral elements at levels necessary for optimum growth. Table 1.1 gives a list of essential mineral nutrients needed for plant growth.

Table 1.1 Essential mineral nutrients for plants

NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY AND UPTAKE

Plants absorb most of the nutrients through its fine root hairs in the soil except for Carbon which is taken in through the leaf pores or the stomata.

To be able to be used up by the plant, the nutrient must be broken down to its basic form i.e. either as a positively charged ion (cation) or a negatively charged ion (anion). Complex organic compounds like dead leaves, twigs, branches, composts, manures, etc. cannot be used up unless they are broken down to their basic forms.

Mentioned in the table 1.2 below are some micronutrient cations and anions.

Table 1.2 Micronutrient cations and anions

It is important to note that crops can take up nutrients only in their inorganic form though they do respond to all nutrient sources. Organic nutrients also have to be mineralized before the plants can take it up. The amount of nutrients provided by the different sources varies greatly between and within agro-ecosystems. Sustainable crop nutrition identifies and utilizes all available sources of plant nutrients.

Nutrient uptake refers to the total amount of nutrients taken up (absorbed) by a crop during its entire life cycle. The nutrient uptake pattern differs for different crops, nutrients, seasons and growth conditions. Nutrient uptake is slow in the beginning and during the ripening phase before harvest, however, the uptake is fast and rapid during the active growth and development phase. If during periods of very high / rapid nutrient uptake, the rate of nutrient supply to the roots falls behind the demand, the result is an underfed crop giving low yields.

Nutrients taken up can vary from less than 50 to 1000 kg/ha depending upon the crop, variety, nutrient and its availability, growth conditions and yield produced. Nitrogen and Potassium are absorbed in largest amounts while Molybdenum uptake is least. A general idea of the amounts of nutrients absorbed by several crops under field conditions is given in Table 1.3

Table 1.3 Nutrient uptake by various crops

Data Source: Several Indian published sources, Fertilizer Management by Dr HLS Tandon

FACTORS AFFECTING AVAILABILITY OF MICRONUTRIENTS

Soil reaction: -

Soil pH influences solubility, concentration in soil solution, ionic form and mobility of micronutrient in soil and consequently acquisition of these elements by plants (Fageria et.al., 1997). As a rule, the availability of B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn usually decreases and Mo increases as soil pH increases. These nutrients are usually adsorbed onto sesquioxide soil surfaces.

Effect of clay minerals: -

The trace elements released during the course of weathering may be locked up in the crystal lattices of the clay minerals and thus become relatively unavailable. Clay minerals bind trace elements with varying degree of forces. Different binding forces account for variation in the extraction rate of different trace element cations by different reagents. Trace elements are readily adsorbed by clay minerals but displaced with difficulty. A few trace elements like B and Mo when displaced by weathering appear as complex anions. Calcium or organic complex may bind these anions (Sharma and Kumar, 2016).

Organic matter: -

Organic matter affects the availability of micronutrients. Organic materials such as manure may supply chelating agents that add in maintaining the solubility of micronutrients. Organic matter content increases the boron availability by preventing its leaching loss and bringing about its accumulation in surface soil. Addition of organic matter to well drained soils have produced varying effects on iron availability. Manganese availability is low in basic soils, high in organic matter because of the formation of unavailable chelated Mn²+ compounds. Action of organic matter on zinc availability is variable. When immobilization and complexation reactions of organic matter prevail, availability of soil zinc will be adversely affected. On the other hand, formation of soluble chelated compounds of zinc will enhance availability by shielding the retained zinc from fixation reactions (Sharma and Kumar, 2016).

Inter-relationship with other nutrients: -

Availability of micronutrients in soil are affected by interaction among micronutrients as well as with other nutrient elements. Metal cations including Cu²+, Fe²+ and Mn²+ inhibit plant uptake of Zn²+ possibly because of competition for the same carrier site. High phosphorus availability induces zinc deficiency. Increased rates of potassium accentuate boron toxicity at high levels of boron. Application of acidic nitrogenous fertilizer can aggravate copper deficiencies may be due to increased aluminium levels in soil solution. Excess of nutrients such as Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Zn and P encourage iron deficiency. Absorption and translocation of molybdenum was enhanced by application of phosphorus due to release of adsorbed MoO4, thus making it more available to plants (Sharma and Kumar, 2016).

EFFECT OF SOIL pH ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE

Soil pH is one of the most critical factors affecting nutrient absorption and utilization. Adjusting soil pH to a recommended value can increase the availability of important nutrients. The ideal pH range will vary; however, most plants favor a mildly acidic growing environment. Plants usually grow well at pH values above 5.5. Soil pH of 6.5 is usually considered optimum for nutrient availability. Extreme pH values decrease the availability of