Integrated Fertilizers for Sustainable Wheat Production to Improve Food Security—A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Wheat is a key cereal crop that is substantial to global food security. Fertilizers are crucial in wheat production and significantly impact the yield. This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of inorganic, organic, and integrated fertilizers in terms of sustainable wheat production and economic and environmental benefits. For this review, we thoroughly examined 133 previous research findings. The results indicate that inorganic fertilizers play a vital role in improving wheat yield. However, continuous use of inorganic fertilizers pollutes the environment, affects beneficial microorganisms in the soil, and increases the emissions of greenhouse gases, consequently decreasing crop yield. Organic fertilizers enhance soil quality, which is critical for crop growth and development. However, a high concentration of methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) are emitted from organic fertilizers, but the CO₂ emission rate is less than the sequestration rate. Integrated fertilizers trade off the drawbacks of both inorganic and organic fertilizers. Integrated fertilizers decrease nitrous oxide (N₂O) and ammonia (NH₃) emissions and carbon loss by 11%–24%, 13%–27%, and 18%, respectively, compared to the sole use of fertilizers. From the review analysis, the highest grain yield (4855 kg ha⁻¹) and net benefit ($2836.66) are achieved by using a combination of 75% organic and 25% inorganic fertilizers at a rate of 120 kg N ha⁻¹. Therefore, this combination is recommended for the users. Furthermore, a site-specific approach research is needed on integrated fertilizers that simultaneously focus on economic and environmental profits. Also, there must be a policy that supports the farmers in teaching, training, and subsidizing them to adopt integrated fertilizers for sustainable wheat production and improving food security.