Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

Application of urea in agriculture is crucial but often leads to nitrogen loss, prompting the global adoption of sulfur-coated urea (SCU) to mitigate these challenges. SCU enhances crop production, reduces nitrogen loss, and improves environmental impact by releasing nitrogen slowly, thus boosting nitrogen use efficiency, crop growth, yield, and grain quality. Additionally, SCU addresses nutrient deficiencies and synergizes with other nutrients in crops. A field experiment conducted at Agro Research Farm of Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited, Vadodara, India, during the kharif season of 2023, compared SCU and Neem Coated Urea (NCU) on paddy crops, revealing significant effects on growth parameters, yield attributes, and nutrient content in grain. Superior results were obtained by applying 100% RDN (Recommended Dose of Nitrogen) from SCU with three splits; in general, greater RDN levels outperformed with lesser dosages. Nutrient analysis indicated improvements in nitrogen and phosphorus content in paddy grain with SCU application compared to NCU. Overall, SCU demonstrated superior performance in enhancing growth parameters and yield attributes of the paddy crop, offering promise for enhancing agricultural sustainability.