Regenerative Nutrient Management Practices for Enhancing Plant Nutrition and Soil Health

Regenerative nutrient management practices offer a holistic approach for enhancing plant nutrition and soil health, which is integral to sustainable agriculture. These practices prioritize revitalizing soil ecosystems, promoting biodiversity, and improving the soil’s physical and chemical properties. Key strategies include using organic amendments, cover cropping, crop rotation, reduced tillage, and incorporating biofertilizers. Organic amendments, such as compost and green manure, enhance soil organic matter, fostering microbial activity and nutrient availability. Cover crops and crop rotation disrupt pest cycles, improve soil structure, and enhance nutrient cycling. Reduced tillage minimizes soil disturbance, preserves soil organic carbon, and mitigates erosion (Meena et al., Soil organic carbon restoration in India: programs, policies, and thrust areas. In: Soil organic matter and feeding the future. CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 305–338, 2021; Meena et al., Reforming the soil organic carbon management plans and policies in India. In: Plans and policies for soil organic carbon management in agriculture. Springer Nature Singapore, Singapore, pp 1–25, 2022). Biofertilizers, including mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, enhance nutrient uptake and plant growth. Collectively, these regenerative practices lead to improved soil fertility, increased water retention, reduced dependency on synthetic fertilizers, and enhanced resilience to climate change. Implementing these strategies can significantly contribute to sustainable crop production and long-term agricultural productivity, promoting a balanced ecosystem where soil and plant health are synergistically enhanced. Integrating regenerative nutrient management practices in modern farming systems is key to ensuring environmental sustainability and food security.