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1
Micronutrients R&D for Balanced Crop Nutrition
A Success Story from Pakistan
Abdul Rashid
Pakistan Academy of Sciences Islamabad, PAKISTAN
Bahawalpur
Kaghan
LAND RESOURCES
Million ha
Total : 79.6
Cultivated: 20.7
Irrigated: 16.5
Rainfed: 4.2
Population: ~180 M Labor Force: 45% GDP: >21%
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Source : Rafiq (1996); NFDC
Pakistan: Soils & Fertilizer Use
Aridisol Alfisol
Entisol Mollisol
Inceptisol Vertisol
Soil Types:
Alluvial, Alkaline, Calcareous, Low OM
Fertilizer Use: Historical Perspective
N P K Zn Fe B
1950s 1960 1966 1970s 1980s 1990s
Source: NFDC
Fertilizer Nutrient Use (per ha)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
72 75 78 81 84 87 90 93 96 99 '02 '05 '08 '11
(kg
/h
a)
N P2O5 K2OPhosphate Potash Nitrogen
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Wheat: Production and Yield
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
19
48
19
56
19
64
19
72
19
79
19
83
19
87
19
91
19
95
19
99
20
03
20
07
20
11
Yie
ld
Are
a &
Pro
du
cti
on
PRODUCTION (m. tonnes) AREA (m. ha) YIELD (kg / ha)
2.6 Mt/ha
5.0 Mt/ha
10.0 Mt/ha
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
National Average
Yield
Progressive Farmers
Average Yield
Biological Yield
Potential
Achievable potential
Wheat: Yield Gap & Crop Nutrition
Source: Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
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Balanced Nutrient Management
including Micronutrients
Source: Micronutrient Project, Nationally Coordinated
Control Balanced Fertilizer Use
MICRONUTRIENTS
Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum ( Mo),
Chloride (Cl), Nickel (Ni)
• “Small but Mighty” – TFI
• Crop Deficiency: Low Yields,
Poor Quality Produce
• Humans & Animals: Growth, Reproduction
• Deficient - Pakistani Soils: Zn, B, Fe
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Micronutrients: R&D Strategy 1) Deficiency Diagnosis: Cropping Systems-based
2) Crop Responses: Greenhouse, Farmers’ Fields
3) Res. Info. Dissemination: Journals, Conferences,
Books, Brochures
4) Micronutrient Use Technologies: Cost-effective;
Practically Feasible
5) Field Demonstrations: Industry & Extension
6) Recommendations: Agric. Extension
8) Fertilizer Availability: Industry
Deficiency Diagnosis
Soil & Plant Sampling – Farmers' Fields
Lab Analyses
Data Interpretation
Micronutrient Deficiencies: Nature, Extent,
Severity, e.g., Cotton: Zn, 41%; B, 55%
Spatial Variability Mapping: Geostatistics;
Contour Mapping
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+Zinc Control
Source: Rashid & Din (1992)
ZINC Deficiency in Rice
Hadda ‘disease’ : Bronzing IRRI Scientists: Yashida & Tanaka (1969)
• Zn Deficiency: 80% of 2 M ha Rice Area
• Yield Increases with Zn: 8 – 35%
Zinc-enriched Nursery
Technology Paddy Yield
(t ha)
Zn Dose
(kg ha)
VCR
Field broadcast 3.75 5.0 10:1
Nursery beds 3.85 0.8 24:1
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Boron Nutrition of Cotton
Less Boll Shedding
More Boll Weight
+Boron Control
2.8
3.23.5 3.4
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
Pa
dd
y Y
ield
(t/
ha
)
0 0.5 1 1.5 kg/ha
Boron Nutrition of Rice
22
16
27
17
15
12
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Pa
nic
le S
teri
lity
(%
)
Sup
er B
as
Bas
-385
KS-2
82
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Economics of Micronutrient Use
Crop
ZINC
Wheat
Rice
BORON
Cotton
Soil
Foliar
Rice
Basmati
IR-6
Yield Increase
13 %
11 %
14 %
12 %
15-25 %
30 %
Value-Cost Ratio*
7:1
10:1
15:1
30:1
32:1
28:1
* + Beneficial Residual Effect; Current Crop uptake, < 2%
Micronutrient Use:
Additional Benefits
Example: RICE: Boron Fertilizer Use
Produce Quality Improvement
Increased Milling Return
More Head-rice
More Elongation upon Cooking
Less Bursting upon Cooking
Residual Effect on wheat: Rice B uptake < 2%
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Pakistan: Crops Requiring
Micronutrient Fertilizer Field Crops Vegetables Fruits
Alfalfa Clovers Cotton Maize Mustard Peanut Rapeseed Rice Sorghum Sugarbeet Sugarcane Sunflower Tobacco Wheat
Beans Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Lettuce Onion Potato Radish Spinach Sweet Potato Tomato Turnip
Apple Apricot Citrus Grapes Peach Pear Plum
ZINC
Crops & Vegetables Soil application 2-5 kg Zn ha-1
Fruits 2-3 Foliar Sprays 0.1% Zn solution
BORON
Crops & Vegetables Soil application 0.75 -1.0 kg B ha-1
2-3 Foliar Sprays 0.1% B solution
IRON
Crops & Fruits 3-4 Foliar Sprays 0.5% Ferrous Sulfate
1% Sequestrene
Micronutrient Use Recommendations
Source: Rashid (2006)
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Soil Zn Deficiency Low Yields &
Zn-Poor Crop Produce
Zinc Malnutrition: Globally, 1 Billion People
especially Developing Countries*
* Biesalski, H.K. Hidden Hunger. Springer (2013)
PAKISTAN: National Nutrition Survey (2011)
Children (< 5 Yr) 39%
Women: Pregnant 53%
Non-pregnant 44%
Poor Growth & Development: Stunted Physical & Mental Growth, Skin lesions, Diarrhea, …
Wheat Response to Zinc
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Wheat Grain Zn Concentration
39
47
52 52
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
Control Soil Zn Foliar Zn Soil + Foliar Zn
Gra
in
Zn
(m
g k
g-1
)
22
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Technology Transfer: A Challenging Issue
Farmers’ Field Days
Low-Zn Seed
GRATITUDE
My Family
East-West Center, Hawaii, USA
PhD Supervisor at Univ. of Hawaii:
Prof. Robert L. Fox
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council
My Colleagues: PARC & Elsewhere
Numerous Farmers
Fertilizer Industry: Engro, Fauji Fertilizer Co.