With potential DAP fertilizer shortages looming across India, agricultural scientists and specialists are providing alternative fertilizer recommendations to farmers. For early-maturing paddy varieties, the advice is to apply a mix of 52 kg of urea, 100 kg of superphosphate, and 13 kg of potash per acre. Another recommended option involves using 50 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer along with 39 kg of urea per acre. A further option is to blend 80 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 18 kg of urea, and 13 kg of potash per acre.
For long-duration paddy varieties (maturing in over 140 days), farmers are advised to use 70 kg of urea, 125 kg of superphosphate, and 20 kg of potash per acre as a replacement for DAP. Another alternative is to use 62 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer, 54 kg of urea, and 4 kg of potash per acre. An additional option is to use a combination of 100 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 26 kg of urea, and 20 kg of potash per acre.
For medium-duration paddy varieties (125-140 days), it is recommended to use 87 kg of urea, 150 kg of superphosphate, and 27 kg of potash per acre instead of DAP. Alternatively, a blend of 75 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer, 67 kg of urea, and 7 kg of potash can be used per acre. As another option, combine 120 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 35 kg of urea, and 27 kg of potash per acre.
For hybrid paddy varieties, scientists suggest applying 113 kg of urea, 200 kg of superphosphate, and 40 kg of potash per acre. Similarly, farmers can apply a blend of 100 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer, 86 kg of urea, and 13 kg of potash per acre. Another approach is to blend 160 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 44 kg of urea, and 40 kg of potash per acre.
For maize crops, alternative fertilizer strategies are advised. For composite maize varieties, use 70 kg of urea, 100 kg of superphosphate, and 20 kg of potash per acre. In addition, 50 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer, 56 kg of urea, and 7 kg of potash can be applied per acre for maize crops. An alternative is to use a mixture of 80 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 35 kg of urea, and 20 kg of potash per acre for composite maize.
For hybrid maize varieties, farmers may consider using 87 kg of urea, 150 kg of superphosphate, and 27 kg of potash per acre. Likewise, a combination of 75 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer, 67 kg of urea, and 7 kg of potash per acre can be used for hybrid maize. Additionally, 120 kg of complex fertilizer 20:20:00:13, 35 kg of urea, and 27 kg of potash per acre can be considered for hybrid maize.
For soybean and groundnut crops, agricultural experts recommend using 17 kg of urea, 200 kg of superphosphate, and 13 kg of potash per acre instead of DAP. In addition, farmers may apply 100 kg of NPK 12:32:16 fertilizer per acre for these crops.