Fertilizer and irrigation management for energy conservation in crop production

Fertilizers and irrigation water are the two major energy inputs in Indian agriculture. Energy returns from energy inputs in fertilizers and irrigation water have been evaluated. An increase in either of these two inputs increased the crop yield but decreased the energy-use efficiency. Indicious use of fertilizers and irrigation water reduced the energy cost of irrigation plus fertilizers by 20–50%. Optimum use of limited energy was in irrigation.