Nutrient management

Nitrogen recovery efficiency of applied fertilizers in flooded rice of South Asia is only 20-40%. Matching N supply with crop demand optimizes N use efficiency and minimizes the transformation processes. In this regard, potential solution has been tried to regulate the timing of N application in rice using Leaf Color Chart (LCC) to determine the plant N needs. At the same time chemical fertilizers are too expensive, unavailable in right time and cause environmental hazards lead to decline soil fertility, crop productivity and environmental quality. Combined use of organic manure and chemical fertilizers formed organio-mineral complexes, improves soil health and ensure continued N availability. Client oriented an alternative approach to conventional plant breeding as the breeding program to meet the specific needs of farmers. Willingness of farmers to adopt the COB varieties is significantly determined by tillering, less irrigation requirement, easy threshing and eating quality. The participatory methods of varieties development and dissemination seem to be effective for increasing genetic diversity and replacement rates under farmers' customary management.