Optimizing nitrogen fertilization in mustard through GreenSeeker-based precision agriculture: Impacts on productivity, economics, and environmental sustainability

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization is a major challenge to sustainable agriculture, adversely affecting crop productivity, soil quality, and environmental health, emits a potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and nearly 80% of sectoral emissions linked to nutrient inputs applied during crop production. The escalating use of N fertilizers further amplifies N 2 O emissions, undermining soil sustainability and contributing to environmental degradation. So, the hypothesis used behind the study is increasing nitrogen use efficiency from its current level (approx. 30–40%) would reduce the need for N fertilizer requirement, resulting in more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable production system with no yield penalty. With this objective, a field study was executed in rabi 2021–2024, consisting of nine N management treatments and one unfertilized treatment as control, randomized in complete block design in three replicates. To overcome this problem, first we standardized NDVI based N application and developed a Nitrogen Estimation Rate Chart (NERC) for precision N management in real time for specific set target yield. Results showed that sensor based N application enhanced growth and yield attributes, registered 22.75% seed yield enhancement with 18.7% N saving over RDF and 34.4 & 30.2% increment in NMR and BCR. This treatment augmented AE N and PFP N by 14.18 to 124.7% and 1.78 to 51.1%, respectively achieved higher NRE (35–69.5%). The per cent enrichment in SOC content was found superior in RDN 100 + 2% Urea FS (52.6%) followed by RDN 100 + 1.5% KNO 3 FS (39.4%) statistically comparable to RDF (38.1%). The fertilizers contributed largest share of total carbon emissions, accounting for 45.6–52.3%. NDVI based N management reduced GHGs emissions by approximately 11.23% over RDF. The mean biological yield (seed + stover) unveiled positive correlation to total nitrogen (r 2 = 98), total phosphorus (r 2 = 95) and total potassium (r 2 = 98) uptake. This innovative technology enables farmers to prevent excessive N fertilization, thereby reducing resource wastage and minimizing nitrous oxide emission. This technology provides insight on N need of crop in real time in right quantity.