Relative Performance of Neem Coated Urea Vis-à-Vis Ordinary Urea for Productivity, Profitability and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Fodder Oats Under Semi Arid Conditions of Punjab, India

Neem coated urea fertilizer is a boon to the Indian agriculture as it helps to not only increase crop’s yields but also lowers nitrogen losses to the environment. Relative performance of neem (Azadirachta indica A Juss)-coated urea vis-à-vis ordinary urea in oats (Avena sativa L.) was studied when applied at three levels of nitrogen (56.25, 75 and 93.75 kg N/ha). The field experiments were carried out at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design with three replications. The performance of neem coated urea with regard to crop growth, fodder yield and fertilizer nitrogen use efficiency was superior to the ordinary urea at the three doses tested. Pooled over the two seasons, green fodder yield increased with increase in nitrogen dose and 75 kg N/ha through neem coated urea was comparable to the 93.75kg N/ha through either fertilizer source. On mean basis, highest green and dry fodder yields of 721 and 126q/ha, respectively was recorded with the application of 93.75 kg N/ha as neem-coated urea and it was statistically comparable to the application of 75 kg N/ha through the similar source. This increase in yield was attributed to significantly more plant height and tiller density with 75 and 93.75 kg N/ha applied through neem coated urea. On an average of two years, highest fertilizer N use efficiency was observed with 75 kg N/ha through neem coated urea, with agronomic efficiency of 339.1 (2019-20) and 355.6 kg yield/ kg N (2020-21) and recovery efficiency of 91% (2019-20) and 93% (2020-21). The benefit: cost ratio (3.16) of 75 kg N/ha obtained from the neem coated urea was significantly higher than ordinary urea. Hence, application of 75 kg N/ha through neem coated urea in fodder oats can be recommended for maximizing productivity, profitability and fertilizer N use efficiencies.