Smart fertilizer techniques for increasing crop yield

Food security remains a significant challenge for all developing nations. Despite achieving highest food production through advanced technologies, we may struggle to adequately feed the rapidly growing population in the coming years due to stagnant crop productivity. Natural nutrient sources like organic manures and external sources such as fertilizers are essential components of plant nutrient management. However, the nutrient use efficiency of fertilizers is quite low due to various loss pathways, including leaching, denitrification, microbial immobilization, fixation, and runoff. It is estimated that approximately 40-70% of nitrogen, 80-90% of phosphorus, 50-70% of potassium, and over 95% of micronutrients from applied fertilizers are lost to the environment, leading to pollution. Smart fertilizers like slow and controlled release fertilizers, nano-fertilizers and bioformulation fertilizers are the new technologies to enhance the nutrient use efficiency there by improving crop yield in sustainable manner. The use of slow and controlled release fertilizers increases nutrient use efficiency, minimize the risks like leaf burning, water contamination and eutrophication. Nano-fertilizers are the nano-particles-based fertilizers, where supply of the nutrients is made precisely for maximum plant growth, have higher use efficiency, exploiting plant unavailable nutrients in the rhizosphere and can be delivered on real time basis into the rhizosphere or by foliar spray. The small size, high specific surface area and reactivity of nano fertilizers increase the solubility, diffusion and availability of nutrients to plants and enhance crop productivity. Bioformulation is microbial preparations containing specific beneficial microorganisms which are capable of fixing or solubilizing or mobilizing plant nutrients for promoting plant growth and crop yield. Smart fertilizers are the better option for the farmers to increase their crop yield with low input cost in sustainable way without degrading natural environment.