Background: Nutrient index methods and fertility indicators can be used to determine the fertility status of soils. The information can be used to develop soil management strategies for farmers. 
 
Methods: The research was conducted in the Rewa district of Fiji, with an aim to assess soil fertility status using the nutrient index approach. A total of 57 cassava-growing farms were selected from three sub-districts of Rewa province for the present investigation and collected soil samples were analyzed in accordance with standard procedures for evaluating chemical parameters and the status of available nutrients in the soil.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The study discovered that the soils of farms are acidic in reaction, have low levels of organic carbon, low to moderate levels of major primary nutrients, however, the soils had a high content of calcium and magnesium. The soil nutrient index value calculated of soil organic carbon and available phosphorus were recorded as low with 1.48 and 1.40 respectively. The NIV for nitrogen and potassium content was medium category values of 1.91 and 1.95, respectively. The nutrient index value calculated for exchangeable calcium and magnesium content was recorded as high with 2.75 and 2.35 values respectively.

Assessment of Soil Fertility Status Using Nutrient Index Approach in Cassava Farms of Rewa Province, Fiji

<div>Background: Soil fertility evaluation is much imperative in order to sustain soil fertility and also food grain production in long run. A study was undertaken across five agro ecological zones of Kerala comprising nine districts viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur with the aim of evaluating the soil fertility status using nutrient index approach.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Soil sampling was carried out using GPS representing all the five agro ecological zones of Kerala. Field study was also undertaken in order to collect the basic data. Based on the nutrient index calculation, soil samples were categorized in to low, medium and high classes.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Result:&nbsp;The analytical results revealed that the nutrient index class for soil organic carbon fall under medium class for the major share of samples analysed. Available N was in the medium class for all the districts, except Kozhikode where it was in the low category. However, the available P content falls under the high class for most of the soil samples. Available K was in the medium category of soil fertility for the majority of the samples analysed.</div>

Evaluation of Soil Fertility Status of Agro Ecological Zones of Kerala using Nutrient Index Approach

<div>Background: Amendment of soil fertility through regular nutrient assessment is a necessary intervention for sustainable crop production. Ovu, is a sub-clan in Delta State, Nigeria which comprised of: Ovu-Inland, Okoemaka, Ekpan, Urhodo, Okoroke and Oviorie that are mostly farmers without the knowledge of their soil fertility. The study investigated soil fertility status of Ovu Sub-Clan.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Cassava, oil palm and plantain farms were randomly selected in the six community and 118 representative soil samples were taken. Soil pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus content of soil and exchangeable bases were measured. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and Parker&rsquo;s nutrient index was used to compare the fertility level.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The cassava, oil palm and plantain farms were slightly acidic mean values of 6.4&plusmn;0.38, 6.5&plusmn;0.31 and 6.4&plusmn;0.30, respectively indicating slight acidity. Organic carbon was low to high while total nitrogen was high except at Okoemaka that was moderate (0.19&plusmn;0.04%). Available phosphorus content was low to medium while exchangeable potassium and calcium were medium to high, exchangeable magnesium was low to medium. Nutrient index showed that soil pH was moderate and while total nitrogen was high.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Assessment of Soil Fertility Status Using Nutrient Index Approach of Ovu Sub-Clan, Delta State, Nigeria</div>

Background: Fodder cowpea is an important leguminous, short duration, warm season crop widely cultivated. Though India ranks first in livestock population, the productivity is found lesser than the world average due to deficiency in availability of green fodders. As fresh water application usage is increasing for the cultivation of field crops and high value crops, fodder crops are found negligible crops but responds well to water and nutrients. Leaf area index is one of the determinative parameters for the increased yield, an attempt was made to determine the relationship between the growth and yield of fodder cowpea with the application of domestic sewage water and nutrients.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 
Methods: studies were conducted during 2019 and 2020 to study the relationship between different sources of irrigation water and nutrients on the growth and yield of fodder cowpea. Treatments in main plot consists of irrigation with water using well water (I1), domestic sewage water (I2) and well water and domestic sewage water alternatively (I3). Treatments in sub plot consists of no nutrient (N1), Farm Yard manure alone (N2), Farm Yard manure + NPK (N3) and NPK alone (N4), in split plot design and replicated thrice. The leaf constant was determined graphically plotted in regression and used for calculation of leaf area. The relationship between leaf area index and the growth and yield parameters of fodder cowpea were determined.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Our investigation concluded that the application of domestic sewage water along with farmyard manure + NPK significantly increased plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area and leaf area index of fodder cowpea. The data also reveals that leaf area index correlated positively with plant height, number of leaves per plant, biomass per plant and yield of fodder cowpea.

Assessment of Leaf Area Index and its Relationship with Growth and Yield of Fodder Cowpea as Influenced by Sources of Irrigation and Nutrients

<div>Background: A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive Rabi (winter) seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18 at Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India to assess the impact of wheat varieties and integrated nutrient management practices on nutrient content and uptake and soil nutrient status. The soil of the experimental plot was loamy sand in texture, low in organic carbon (0.24%), available nitrogen (159 kg/ha) and Zn (0.41 mg/kg), medium in available phosphorus (38.90 kg/ha) and high in available potash (287 kg/ha). 
 
Methods: Experiment was laid out in a Factorial RBD with three replications, consist of four wheat varieties viz. GW 273, GW 322, GW 451 and GW 496 and six integrated nutrient management (INM) practices viz. control, 100% RDF, 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB, 75% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB, 75% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB + ZnSO4 and 50% RDF + 25% N through FYM + Azotobacter + PSB + ZnSO4.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The pooled results indicated that uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by grain and straw, grain yield and straw yield were found higher with wheat variety GW 451 as compared to other wheat varieties. Nutrient content in grain and straw was not significantly affected by different wheat varieties. Among nutrient management practices, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content, uptake, grain yield and straw of wheat were significantly higher under application of 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB. Further, result revealed that different wheat varieties did not bring any significant variation in available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and organic carbon content in soil. Moreover, highest available nitrogen and phosphorus in soil was recorded with the application of 100% RDF + Azotobacter + PSB. However, significantly higher organic carbon and zinc content in soil was observed under 50% RDF + 25% N through FYM + Azotobacter + PSB +ZnSO4.</div>

Effect of Wheat Varieties and Integrated Nutrient Management Practices on Nutrient Content, Uptake and Soil Nutrient Status

A low glycemic index fine rice variety RNR 15048 (Telangana Sona) suitable for both kharif and summer seasons was introduced in southern Odisha in 2019 kharif season. Its nitrogen and Phosphorus requirement was not worked out for kharif / rabi / summer seasons. An experiment was conducted during summer season of 2022 at M.S. Swaminathan School of agriculture (MSSSoA), Parlakhemundi, Odisha to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on yield attributes and yield of low glycemic rice variety RNR 15048 in split plot design with four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg/ha) in main plots and three levels of phosphorus (0, 30 and 60 kg/ha) in subplots replicated three times. The panicle number, number of spike lets per panicle, number of filled spike lets and 1000 grain weight, grain, straw and biological yield and NPK uptake in grain and straw increased significantly with increase in nitrogen levels from 0 to 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 and phosphorus level from 0 to 30 and 60 kg ha-1. For low glycemic index rice variety RNR 15048 during summer, application of 150 kg N and 60 kg P2O5 along with 50 kg K2O ha-1 found to give higher yield in southern Odisha.A low glycemic index fine rice variety RNR 15048 (Telangana Sona) suitable for both kharif and summer seasons was introduced in southern Odisha in 2019 kharif season. Its nitrogen and Phosphorus requirement was not worked out for kharif / rabi / summer seasons. An experiment was conducted during summer season of 2022 at M.S. Swaminathan School of agriculture (MSSSoA), Parlakhemundi, Odisha to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on yield attributes and yield of low glycemic rice variety RNR 15048 in split plot design with four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg/ha) in main plots and three levels of phosphorus (0, 30 and 60 kg/ha) in subplots replicated three times. The panicle number, number of spike lets per panicle, number of filled spike lets and 1000 grain weight, grain, straw and biological yield and NPK uptake in grain and straw increased significantly with increase in nitrogen levels from 0 to 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 and phosphorus level from 0 to 30 and 60 kg ha-1. For low glycemic index rice variety RNR 15048 during summer, application of 150 kg N and 60 kg P2O5 along with 50 kg K2O ha-1 found to give higher yield in southern Odisha.

Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Low Glycemic Index Rice Variety RNR 15048 during Summer Season

Background: Biofortification, an evolving research strategy, aims to enhance the bioavailability of essential micronutrients in staple food crops. The most efficient approach, agronomic biofortification, involves the challenging task of simultaneously increasing grain zinc content and yield through breeding and biotechnology. In pursuit of biofortifying garden peas in the Himalayan region and optimizing their yield, this study was devised with a focus on foliar zinc fertilization application. 
 
Methods: The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The observations were recorded on growth and yield characters and yield efficiency was calculated. The data recorded was analysed as per design of the experiment for working out the following values. 
 
Result:&nbsp;The results revealed that application of 100 % RDF + 0.5 % ZnSO4+ Rhizobium&nbsp; produced best results in most of the yield and yield contributing characters likepod length, pod weight, number of grains per pod, yield and yield efficiency index which can be recommended for increasing the yield ad well as zinc content in pea.

Zinc Biofortification and Nutrient Management Effect on Growth, Yield and Yield Efficiency Index of Garden Pea under Himalayan Conditions

The present investigation reports diversity in contents of &nbsp;cell wall components, nutrients and anti-nutrients in flours of lupin genotypes belonging to 3 species viz. Lupinus albus, Lupinus luteus and Lupinus angustifolius. Lupin genotypes exhibited 96.17&plusmn;0.24-98.36&plusmn;0.16% dry matter, 8.33&plusmn;0.18-30.94&plusmn;1.8 g hundred seed weight, 27&plusmn;1.41-36&plusmn;1.0% neutral detergent fibre, 22.25&plusmn;0.92-29.65&plusmn;1.48% acid detergent fibre, 0.85&plusmn;0.21-3.4&plusmn;0.71% lignins, 21.05&plusmn;2.33-26.90&plusmn;0.85% cellulose, 4.15&plusmn;1.2-10.75&plusmn;0.49% hemi-cellulose, 7.0&plusmn;0.1-10.1&plusmn;0.42% oil, 15.87&plusmn;0.88-30.1&plusmn;2.52% proteins, 9.02&plusmn;0.24-21.69&plusmn;1.33 mg/g sucrose and 29.70&plusmn;1.43-55.49&plusmn;2.25 mg/g starch. The contents of different anti-nutrients were in the range of 0.29&plusmn;0.04-0.52&plusmn;0.07 mg/g phytic acid, 0.85&plusmn;0.17-2.75&plusmn;0.06 mg/g saponins, 0.61&plusmn;0.10-1.34&plusmn;0.05 mg/g tannins, 1.80&plusmn;0.07-3.64&plusmn;0.13 mg/g total phenols and 85.63&plusmn;2.06-182.9&plusmn;17.6 mg/g amylase inhibitor activity. Lectins were absent in all lupin genotypes as well as in chickpea check &lsquo;GPF-2&rsquo;. Carotenoids isochromic red and yellow fractions in lupin genotypes were 0.21&plusmn;0.06-2.22&plusmn;0.31 and 0.71&plusmn;0.15-9.35&plusmn;1.98 mg/g, respectively. The activities of lipoxygenases (LOX) varied from 3.6&plusmn;0.85-10.95&plusmn;1.63 units/g for LOX-I and 3.1&plusmn;0.71-9.8&plusmn;0.1 units/g for LOX-II isozymes. All the lupin genotypes exhibited higher dry matter, acid detergent fibre, cellulose, oil, sucrose, phytic acid content and lower LOX-I and II activities as compared to chickpea check variety &lsquo;GPF-2&rsquo; at 5% level of significance. White lupins, Kiev Mutant and Andromeda were found to be better in nutritional quality as compared to chickpea check and other lupin genotypes studied. 
&nbsp;

Comparison of cell wall constituents, nutrients&nbsp;and anti-nutrients of lupin genotypes

<div>Background: The excessive usage of chemical fertilizers and the negligence on soil health regarding the conservation and use of organic sources of nutrients have not only caused the exhaustion of soil nutrient reserves but also resulted in soil health problems which is not conducive to achieving consistent increase in agricultural production. The beneficial influence of organic matter on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil is well known, the full appreciation of the same remains which is unfortunately ignored in modern agriculture. The regular recycling of organic wastes in the soil is the most efficient method of maintaining optimum nutrient reserves of soil and nutrient uptake by the plant. The Present Study was conducted to evaluate the nutrient status of soil under integrated usage of organic and inorganic sources. 
 
Methods: A field experiment entitled &ldquo;Nutrient Management Interventions in Rice-Ragi Sequence&rdquo; was conducted during kharif and rabi seasons of 2017-18 and 2018-19 on sandy loam soil of the Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla. The seven treatments consisted of T1: 100% RDF (100-60-40 kg N-P-K ha-1); T2: 100% RDF + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1; T3: 125% RDF+Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1; T4: 75% RDF + Poultrymanure&nbsp; @ 0.82 t ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 50 kg ha-1; T5: 75% RDF + FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1; T6:50% RDF + Poultrymanure @ 1.6 t ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1 and T7: 50% RDF + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1. The experiment was laidout in randomized block design with seven treatments and replicated thrice during kharif rice and in rabi each kharif treatment was subdivided into four sub treatments (S1: Nofertilizer, S2: 100% RDF, S3:75% RDF and S4:50% RDF) and hence, The split plot design was adopted in rabi. Total No.of plots per each replication in the rabi was 28 (7x4=28).&nbsp; 
 
Result: Nutrient content and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc have increased significantly with the fertility levels and organics. 50% RDF + FYM @ 10 t ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 50 kg ha-1 recorded the highest nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc contents and uptakes in grain and straw of rice. In no till rabi ragi, N, P, K, Zn and calcium content and uptake in grain and straw were found to be significantly superior with 100% RDF (S2) to the rest of the treatments in both the years and in pooled data.</div>

Effect of Nutrient Management Interventions on Nutrient Uptake of Rice-zero Till Ragi under Coastal Lands

<div>Background: Pulses in Indian agriculture hold a vital position. They are considered as a rich source of vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals and calories to the entire vegetarians in India. Due to long and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, there is deterioration of soil health and hence decrease in productivity. Nutrient mobilizers such as Rhizobium, PGPRs are biological microorganisms that help in atmospheric N2 fixation along with phosphorous solubilization hence; increase the availability of nutrients to the plants. 
 
Methods: In this paper a field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2017 and 2018 to evaluate the influence of nutrient mobilizers along with recommended dose of fertilizers on productivity and nutrient uptake in blackgram.&nbsp; 
 
Result: A pronounced effect of nutrient mobilizers was observed on the yield attributing characters of urdbean. Maximum number of seeds per pod, 1000-seed weight, grain yield, straw yield, harvest index, maximum nutrient content and uptake in grain and straw was observed in the treatment T11 (Zn Nm + PGPR + ZnO @ 28.0 kg/ha + Rh+ RDF) followed by T10 (Rh + Zn Nm + PGPR + ZnO @ 14.0 kg/ha + RDF). It can be concluded that nutrient mobilizers not only increase the yield attributes in blackgram but also responsible for increase in nutrient content in the grains which ultimately signals positive attitude regarding nutritional security of the nation.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Influence of Nutrient Mobilizers on Productivity and Nutrient Uptake in Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) Crop under the Tarai Region of Uttarakhand</div>