NUE stands for Nutrient Use Efficiency and for Nitrogen Use Efficiency. We refer to the latter, as it encompasses both economic considerations as well as environmental concerns. During 1-5 October 2007, the 4th Nitrogen (INI) meeting will be held in Bahia, Brazil to discuss strategies for achieving higher NUE. Achieving higher NUE through balanced fertilization is essential with straightforward rewards. The interaction or 'partnership' between the two major macro nutrients, nitrogen and potassium is documented in many scientific papers over the years. Read a short update on this issue in the research findings section of this edition.
Water is the number one nutrient for plants. Crops have ample radiation for energy and a plentiful supply of CO2 (at least it does not seem to be a short supply in the near future...). All that needs to be added are water and nutrients. I would like to quote D. Shimshi in a work presented at an IPI colloquium back in 1969 in Israel: "Irrigation and fertilization are two major factors in agricultural intensification; it has long been noted that a strong interaction exists between the effects of soil moisture regime and nutrient level on most crop species". With prices of water steadily increasing and availability (and quality) decreasing, the efficiency of water use is of great importance, not only in arid and semi-arid regions, but also in regions between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, where the distribution of rain sometimes does not match crop’s needs. IPI has a rich experience in optimizing nutrient and water management. In this issue, we bring a report from Turkey, describing the water use efficiency of citrus under different degrees of salinity, and the role of potassium in alleviating its negative impact. We will keep you informed regularly on such developments, including reports from other fertigation experiments and new publications.
Also in this edition - we have more research findings from Bangladesh on potassium fertilization in rice, and a report from Haryana, India on the response of pearl millet and wheat to K application. Millets, a C4 plant, are an important cereal and the staple food for millions in North India, Pakistan, Nepal and many in Africa. Better nutrient management has a significant impact in these regions on food security.
