Although nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for agricultural production, its overuse is associated with environmental pollution, increased concentration of greenhouse gases, and several human and animal health implications. These implications are greatly affected by biochemical transformations and losses of N such as volatilization, leaching, runoff, and denitrification. Half of the globally produced N fertilizers are used to grow three major cereals—rice, wheat, and maize—and their current level of N recovery is approximately 30–50%. The continuously increasing application of N fertilizers, despite lower recovery of cereals, can further intensify the environmental and health implications of leftover N. To address these implications, the improvement in N use efficiency (NUE) by adopting efficient agronomic practices and modern breeding and biotechnological tools for developing N efficient cultivars requires immediate attention. Conventional and marker-assisted selection methods can be used to map quantitative trait loci, and their introgression in elite germplasm leads to the creation of cultivars with better NUE. Moreover, gene-editing technology gives the opportunity to develop high-yielding cultivars with improved N utilization capacity. The most reliable and cheap methods include agronomic practices such as site-specific N management, enhanced use efficiency fertilizers, resource conservation practices, precision farming, and nano-fertilizers that can help farmers to reduce the environmental losses of N from the soil–plant system, thus improving NUE. Our review illuminates insights into recent advances in local and scientific soil and crop management technologies, along with conventional and modern breeding technologies on how to increase NUE that can help reduce linked N pollution and health implications.

The human population is growing rapidly which increases pressure on livestock to meet the animal products (milk, meat, wool etc.) demand. For the higher productivity of livestock, it is essential to provide green fodder to the livestock. The poor quality green forages not only reduce milk productivity but also affect animal health. The green forage quality plays a key role in economical ruminant production. Forage quality depends mainly on its genetically trait, however, it can be improved by implying improved agronomic practices viz., timely/adequate tillage operation, optimum nutrient management, sowing at right time with adequate seed rate, intercropping system, timely water management, weed management and harvesting at right stage etc. The green biomass yield is significantly influenced by tillage operations. The right source and dose of nutrient is important for the production of quality fodder. Addition of nitrogen to soil increases the fodder yield as well as protein content. Delayed sowing generally increases the crude protein and fiber content but decreases the crude fat. Crop density is positively related to forage yield and crude fiber, however, crude protein is negatively associated with plant density. Introducing legumes intercrops in cereal fodder improves the fodder quality as well as quantity. Forage yield follows a decreasing trend by enhancing the water scarcity, however, optimum irrigation and good quality water improves the fodder quality. Delay in harvesting decreases forage quality. Therefore, proper agronomic practices should be followed for enhanced fodder production and better nutritional value.

Inappropriate agricultural practices consume more input energy and emit higher greenhouse gases (GHGs) which cause global warming and climate change, thereby threatening environmental sustainability. To identify energy and carbon-efficient varieties and nutrient management practices, the present study was undertaken during the kharif season of 2018 and 2019 in a split-plot design with three varieties of fodder maize (African Tall, J-1006 and P-3396) and four nutrient management practices such as N0: Absolute control, N1: 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), N2: 75% RDF + plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) + Panchagavya spray and N3: 50% RDF + 25% farmyard manure (FYM) + PGPR + Panchagavya spray). Results indicated that variety J-1006 and applying 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray produced significantly higher dry fodder yield. Among the varieties, J-1006 recorded the highest total energy output (224,123 MJ ha⁻¹), net energy (211,280 MJ ha⁻¹), energy use efficiency (17.64), energy productivity (0.98 kg MJ⁻¹), energy profitability (16.64), and lowest specific energy (1.03 MJ ha⁻¹). Regarding nutrient management, 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray fetched the highest total energy output (229,470 MJ ha⁻¹) and net energy (215,482 MJ ha⁻¹). However, energy use efficiency, energy productivity, and energy profitability were significantly higher with integrated nutrient management (N2 and N3) over 100% RDF. Concerning the carbon estimation, J-1006 resulted in a significantly higher carbon output (5479 kg CE ha⁻¹), net carbon gain (5029 kg CE ha⁻¹), carbon efficiency (12.46), carbon sustainability index (11.46), and significantly lower carbon footprint per unit yield (CFy) (131.3 kg CO₂-e Mg⁻¹). For nutrient management, the application of 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray showed significantly higher carbon output (5609 kg CE ha⁻¹) and net carbon gain (5112 kg CE ha⁻¹). However, significantly higher carbon efficiency, carbon sustainability index, and lower CFy were reported with integrated nutrient management over 100% RDF. Overall, selecting the J-1006 variety and applying 75% RDF + PGPR + Panchagavya spray for fodder maize cultivation could be the most productive in terms of dry fodder production, energy, and carbon efficiency approach.

Forage legumes are contributing in sustainable crop production apart from nutritional security to the livestock. Forage legumes are crucial for the nutritional security for mankind as they are integral component for increased availability of animal protein and product which has higher biological value compared to plant proteins. The inclusion of forage legumes in crop production systems is more useful as these can not only provide food and feed to animals but also improves soil productivity and act as soil-conserving components of agricultural and agroforestry systems. Production system as a whole and tremendous deficit of forage nutritious resources demand in particular to give some importance to the forage crops especially leguminous forages. Therefore, critical assessment is necessary for determining the direction and magnitude of change in agricultural management practice with inclusions of forage legume. Forage legumes have good capacity as a feed to promote sufficient quantities and qualities required for different productive animals. Therefore, these crops can contribute to achieving the objectives of sustainable food/ fodder and environmental security. Hence, inclusion of legumes forages in cropping system is inevitable in advancing soil sustainability and food and nutritional security without compromising the long-term soil fertility base of the soil resources. Rational soil management practices must involve forage legume-based rotations and intercropping considerations for restoring soil health, and soil sustainability should be given due emphasis. Besides, forage legumes can also provide a wide range of benefits such as restoration of soil fertility, nitrogen fixation and fertilizer saving, enhancement of soil biology and biodiversity, improving soil carbon sequestration and by neutralizing negative impact of climate change. This review summarizes the potential role of forage legume in animal nutrition, soil fertility building, nitrogen fixation, soil biology and biodiversity, carbon sequestration, climate change and other ecological services provided.

Conservation agriculture has recently been a hot topic of agricultural research and has generated significant global interest. Conservation agriculture has three core principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop rotations. The research on this topic has also witnessed a boom in recent years as the number of peer-reviewed literature on conservation agriculture is rising exponentially. This study critically examines all the peer-reviewed documents published on conservation agriculture from the 1990s to 2021 and indexed in the web of science core database. The search returned 3023 documents, which were then processed in the R-based bibliometric package for annual scientific production trend, source, author, document, citation, keyword analysis, and co-occurrence networking using VOSviewer. Our findings show remarkable growth in conservation agriculture research in recent times, although it witnessed a shortfall in 2021. Notably, 15 core source journals contribute the most to the field, while 8692 researchers have authored or co-authored at least a document on conservation agriculture. While the USA, India, and Australia are front runners in conservation agriculture research, the spread of the topic is worldwide.

A field experiment was conducted at ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal during 2018-19 to study the effect of mixed cropping and nutrient management on root traits, nutritional quality and yield of sorghum and guar fodder crops. Experiment was laid out in factorial randomized complete block design with four seed rate combinations in different ratios of sorghum and guar along with six nutrient management treatments in three replications. Results showed that the root traits, viz. root length, volume and dry weight were higher under mixed cropping in comparison to sole crops however the difference was not significant, whereas the significant difference were observed in root traits under different nutrient management practices. Statistically higher green fodder yield was reported under sole sorghum but it was at par with 75% sorghum + 25% guar. Nutritionally enriched fodder with higher macro and micronutrients was also obtained under 75% sorghum + 25% guar treatment. Under mixed cropping nutrient uptake and soil nutrient status at crop harvest were higher in comparison to sole crops. Results pertaining to nutrient management practices revealed that higher supply of nutrients under 100% RDF, 100% RDF +PGPR, 100% RDF +seaweed extract and 75% RDF +seaweed extract treatments helped the crops to take up more nutrients besides leaving substantial balance in the soil at harvest. It was concluded that 75% sorghum + 25% guar mixed cropping with 75% RDF + seaweed extract was best combination to get higher and nutritionally enriched fodder and enriched soil at harvest.