NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: Indian scientists have discovered significant natural variations in rice nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) along with associated traits and genes.  

Nitrogen Use Efficiency

• About: It describes how effectively a plant utilizes applied or fixed nitrogen for biomass production. 
• It is the ratio between crop yield and the amount of nitrogen absorbed from the soil or atmosphere.
• Importance: NUE is crucial in crop breeding programs aimed at improving crop yield while lowering input costs, such as fertilizers. It also helps minimize nitrogen’s environmental impact.
• Environmental Benefits: Increasing NUE reduces fertilizer inputs, leading to fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less nitrate leaching into groundwater and surface water.
• Economic Advantages: A high NUE means that more of the applied nitrogen is absorbed by the crop, which can reduce farmers’ input costs and increase their profits.
• Measure of Efficiency: NUE is a key indicator of environmental sustainability and economic efficiency, showing the relationship between nitrogen inputs and crop yield.
• Example: A nitrogen use efficiency of 50% indicates that half of the applied nitrogen was taken up by the crop after growth was completed.