In modern days, rapid urbanisation, climatic abnormalities, water scarcity and quality degradation vis-à-vis the increasing demand for food to feed the growing population necessitate a more efficient agriculture production system. In this context, farming with zeolites, hydrated naturally occurring aluminosilicates found in sedimentary rocks, which are ubiquitous and environment friendly, has attracted attention in the recent past owing to multidisciplinary benefits accrued from them in agricultural activities. The use of these minerals as soil ameliorants facilitates the improvement of soil’s physical and chemical properties as well as alleviates heavy metal toxicity. Additionally, natural and surface-modified zeolites have selectivity for major essential nutrients, including ammonium (NH₄⁺), phosphate (PO₄²⁻), nitrate (NO₃⁻), potassium (K⁺) and sulphate (SO₄²⁻), in their unique porous structure that reduces nutrient leaching. The slow-release nature of zeolites is also beneficial to avail nutrients optimally throughout crop growth. These unique characteristics of zeolites improve the fertilizer and water use efficiency and, subsequently, diminish environmental pollution by reducing nitrate leaching and the emissions of nitrous oxides and ammonia. The aforesaid characteristics significantly improve the growth, productivity and quality of versatile crops, along with maximising resource use efficiency. This literature review highlights the findings of previous studies as well as the prospects of zeolite application for achieving sustenance in agriculture without negotiating the output.

Direct-seeded rice (DSR) seeds are often exposed to multiple environmental stresses in the field, leading to poor emergence, growth and productivity. Appropriate seed priming agents may help to overcome these challenges by ensuring uniform seed germination, and better seedling stand establishment. To examine the effectiveness of sodium selenite (Na-selenite), sodium selenate (Na-selenate), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and their combinations as priming agents for DSR seeds, a controlled pot experiment followed by a field experiment over two consecutive years was conducted on a sandy clay loam soil (Inceptisol) in West Bengal, India. Priming with combinations of all priming agents had advantages over the hydro-priming treatment (control). All the combinations of the three priming agents resulted in the early emergence of seedlings with improved vigour. In the field experiment, all the combinations increased the plant chlorophyll, phenol and protein contents, leaf area index and duration, crop growth rate, uptake of nutrients (N, P, K, B, Zn and Si), and yield of DSR over the control. Our findings suggest that seed priming with the combination of ZnO-NPs, Na-selenite, and Na-selenate could be a viable option for the risk mitigation in DSR.

Effective broad-spectrum herbicides are needed to address the issues of herbicide resistance and weed shifts in common cropping systems. A field experiment was conducted in 2016 and 2017 in West Bengal, India to compare the performance of three post-emergence herbicides (bispyribac-sodium; fenoxaprop-p-ethyl; penoxsulam) in monsoon rice (Oryza sativa L.) and their residual effects on succeeding rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.). Rice yield loss due to competition with Echinochloa colona (L.) Link, Leersia hexandra Sw., Cyperus iria L., Ludwigia parviflora L., and Monochoria vaginalis (Burm f.) C. Presl. Ex Kunth was 64% compared with weed-free control. Bispyribac-sodium 10% SC applied at 30 g a.i. ha⁻¹ 20 days after transplanting reduced weed density over the weedy control, ranging from 37% (M. vaginalis) to 87% (L. hexandra). Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl and penoxsulam applied, respectively, at 86 and 20 g a.i. ha⁻¹ were effective in controlling grasses, but less effective against sedges and broadleaves. Bispyribac-sodium application resulted in highest rice yield (5.45 t ha⁻¹), net return (Indian Rupees 42,677 ha⁻¹), and benefit cost ratio (1.72). Bispyribac-sodium had neither adverse effect on soil microbes nor phytotoxic effect on rice and subsequent rapeseed. We recommend bispyribac-sodium for weed control in transplanted rice under rice-rapeseed system in eastern India.

Fertigation has the potential to reduce extra chemical load by improving nutrient and water use efficiency of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), but studies demonstrating the fertilizer reduction through drip irrigation in comparison to conventional ring basin method are rare in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of South Asia. A long-term field experiment was conducted during 2007–2013 in West Bengal, India, to study the effect of fertigation on coconut var. DXT. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with six treatments (control – no fertilizers and water applied with drip irrigation; 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), each applied with drip irrigation; and 100% of the RDF and water applied with ring basin method of irrigation (i.e., conventional method)). Nuts yield was significantly higher for 75% of RDF (24.44 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) followed by 100% of RDF, each drip irrigation (23.79 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) compared to control (21.89 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). Copra yield was significantly higher for 75% of RDF (3.19 t ha⁻¹) compared to 100% of RDF (3.12 t ha⁻¹) and no fertilizer (1.87 t ha⁻¹). Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents of soil increased by 4.9%, 10.4% and 9.4%, respectively, with 75% of RDF applied through drip irrigation. Microbial population showed inverse relationship with amount of fertilizer application. The most water-use efficient fertigation treatment was 75% RDF (13.48 kg copra m⁻³) followed by 100% RDF (13.18 kg copra m⁻³) with drip irrigation as compared to conventional way soil application of fertilizers through ring basin method of irrigation (4.23 kg copra m⁻³). Role of N on yield variability was most prominent by both available soil N status (R² = 0.49**) and leaf N concentration (R² = 0.51**). The study indicated that there is a great scope for reducing the N, P and K fertilizers by up to 25% of the present RDFs for coconut when applied through drip irrigation compared to ring basin method of irrigation for its higher productivity and profitability through efficient use of nutrients and water in the Eastern IGP of South Asia.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in South Asia is increasingly threatened by the erratic nature of onset of monsoon rain and climate change. Wide variance in rainfall pattern affects the timing of nursery raising and transplanting later in the main field. Existing rice cultivation practices such as direct seeded rice using drum seeder (DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and conventional transplanting (CT) are not able to address the production problems adequately. Therefore, we developed a package of practices - Climate Change-Resilient Rice Production Technology (CRRPT) - which allows keeping rice seedlings in the seedbed for an extended period to synchronize with the onset of monsoon rain. On-station trials during 2015-2016 comparing CRRPT with DSR, SRI and CT demonstrated that in CRRPT the seedlings can be maintained successfully in the seedbed for up to 55 days while achieving the equivalent yield of CT (30 days seedling) because of improved plant vigour. The CRRPT seedlings of 25 d and 35 d gave 22% and 11% more yield compared to CT (30 d seedling). Total water requirement in CRRPT was reduced by 20%, 14% and 13% in case of 55d, 45d and 35 d seedling, respectively, compared to that for CT (30 d seedling). In an on-farm study with 120 farmers’ fields in West Bengal during 2017-2018, average yield increased by 32% and net profit increased by 96%. Thus, CRRPT is remunerative, water efficient, climate change-resilient and can be easily adopted in the farmers’ fields. Results demonstrate that there is wide scope for its adoption for sustainable rice production in West Bengal and South Asia.