This book addresses in detail multifaceted approaches to boosting nutrient use efficiency (NUE)
that are modified by plant interactions with environmental variables and combine physiological
microbial biotechnological and agronomic aspects. Conveying an in-depth understanding of the
topic will spark the development of new cultivars and strains to induce NUE coupled with best
management practices that will immensely benefit agricultural systems safeguarding their soil
water and air quality. Written by recognized experts in the field the book is intended to
provide students scientists and policymakers with essential insights into holistic approaches
to NUE as well as an overview of some successful case studies. In the present understanding of
agriculture NUE represents a question of process optimization in response to the increasing
fragility of our natural resources base and threats to food grain security across the globe.
Further improving nutrient use efficiency is a prerequisite to reducing production costs
expanding crop acreage into non-competitive marginal lands with low nutrient resources and
preventing environmental contamination. The nutrients most commonly limiting plant growth are N
P K S and micronutrients like Fe Zn B and Mo. NUE depends on the ability to efficiently
take up the nutrient from the soil but also on transport storage mobilization usage within
the plant and the environment. A number of approaches can help us to understand NUE as a whole.
One involves adopting best crop management practices that take into account root-induced
rhizosphere processes which play a pivotal role in controlling nutrient dynamics in the
soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. New technologies from basic tools like leaf color charts to
sophisticated sensor-based systems and laser land leveling can reduce the dependency on
laboratory assistance and manual labor. Another approach concerns the development of crop
plants through genetic manipulations that allow them to take up and assimilate nutrients more
efficiently as well as identifying processes of plant responses to nutrient deficiency stress
and exploring natural genetic variation. Though only recently introduced the ability of
microbial inoculants to induce NUE is gaining in importance as the loss immobilization
release and availability of nutrients are mediated by soil microbial processes.
