Importance of Integrated Nutrient Management for Pulse Crops Amidst Climate Change in India: A Review

The challenge of increasing food production to meet the needs of current and future human populations, while adopting environmentally friendly strategies for sustainable agricultural development, demands significant attention. In this context, we explore the critical role, potential and climate challenges of integrated nutrient management (INM) in pulse crops in India. INM has been proposed as a promising strategy to address these issues by improving crop productivity, enhancing plant performance and increasing resource efficiency, all while protecting the environment and maintaining resource quality. This review investigates the importance, potential and climate-related challenges faced by pulse crops. A comprehensive analysis of the literature indicates that INM can boost crop yields by 8-150% compared to conventional practices, improve water-use efficiency and increase economic returns for farmers. Additionally, INM enhances grain quality, soil health and overall sustainability. Crop simulation models reveal that climate change, characterized by rising temperatures and increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, significantly reduces productivity. Various approaches and perspectives for advancing INM shortly are also discussed. Strong evidence supports the notion that INM could serve as an innovative and eco-friendly strategy for achieving sustainable productivity in the face of climate change.