ABSTRACT
Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) encompasses use of a combination of several resources and agronomic procedures. The INM basically involves supply of nutrients using a variety of sources both organic and inorganic in nature. The INM also involves an assortment of agronomic procedures. It begins with conservation tillage or no tillage. Soil conservation procedures like ridges and furrows, contour planting, mulching, growing green manure, wind breaks, planting agroforestry species in strips (strip cropping), intercropping, and others that aim to reduce soil erosion are included under this concept. Methods that enhance fertilizer efficiency are most important under INM. A few examples are deep placement of fertilizers, splitting fertilizer-N, combination of inorganic and organic manures, use of rock-phosphates plus compost, adopting foliar sprays if nutrient deficiencies are to be corrected rapidly, etc. Methods that lessen loss of fertilizer-N or P are practiced rather stringently. During recent years fertilizer application has gained in accuracy. Intensive soil sampling and periodic tests allow us to map variations in soil fertility. Therefore, fertilizer supply schedules are mostly site specific. Fertilizer recommendations based on large cropping zones is getting replaced by use of Site-specific Nutrient Management (SSNM). Computer based models that predict crop response to fertilizer supply is available. The INM considers yield goals and soil properties carefully while devising nutrient supply schedules to the crop. The INM also involves due consideration to weather and precipitation pattern as well as irrigation.
