Integrated Soil Nutrient Management

Needs Address

Better quality soil for enhanced agricultural production

Adaptation effects

• Enhances availability of applied and native soil nutrients
• Minimises effects resulting from deficiencies and nutrient imbalance
• Improves and sustains the functioning of the soil
• Minimises deterioration of soil, water and ecosystem
• Reduced impacts of pests and insects
• Ecosystem benefits through reduced runoff

Overview and Features

Yield targeted, site and soil-specific maintenance of soil fertility and plant nutrient supply at an optimal level through combined used of mineral fertilisers and locally available soil amendments and organic matter to replenish soil nutrients. INM maintains soils as storehouses of plant nutrients that are essential for vegetative growth. INM’s goal is to integrate the use of all natural and man-made sources of plant nutrients, so that crop productivity increases in an efficient and environmentally benign manner, without sacrificing soil productivity of future generations.

Cost

Fertiliser costs

Energy source

Human labour

Ease of maintenance

Split application of nitrogen fertiliser commensurate with plant nutrient status during the growing season should be practised

Technology performance

Maintenance of soil fertility and plant nutrient supply 

Considerations

• Existing and needed nutrient supply of cropping system
• Local availability of nutrient resources
• Economic conditions of farmers and profitability of proposed integrated nutrient management option
• Status of soil fertility and special management needs
• Social acceptability
• Ecological considerations
• Environmental impact
• Appropriate nutrient application and conservation and the transfer of knowledge about INM practices to farmers and researchers

Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries

• Promotes carbon sequestration
• Enhances availability of applied and native soil nutrients
• Enhanced through support of extension services and user participation
• Need policy support
• Need close cooperation and coordination between farmers and researchers to exchange information and disseminate technologies that take into account immediate farmer survival needs along with longer-term soil fertility and agricultural sustainability requirements

Information Resources

Gruhn, P., Goletti, F., and Yudelman, M. 2000. Integrated Nutrient Management, Soil Fertility, and Sustainable Agriculture: Current Issues and Future Challenges. Food, Agriculture, and the Environment Discussion Paper 32. International Food Policy Research Institute: Washington D.C., USA.

IAEA, 2003. Integrated Soil, Water and Nutrient Management for Sustainable Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in Asia. Available from: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/swmn/crp/2rcm-china.pdf [14 November 2014]

Roy, R.M., Misra, R.V., Lesschen, J.P. and Smaling, E.M. 2003. Assessment of Soil Nutrient Balance: Approaches and Methodologies. FAO Fertiliser and Plant Nutrition Bulletin 14. Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations: Rome, Italy.