Need for determining ecofriendly optimum fertilizer nitrogen level for better environment and for alleviating hunger and malnutrition

Asia accounts for about two-thirds of hungry and malnourished people in the world and within Asia, South Asia, which includes India, Pakistan and Bangladesh accounts for about 34.3%, which in absolute numbers are 276.4 million people. Cereals are the staple food in Asia and alleviation of hunger aims at increasing the availability of cereals (rice, wheat, maize etc.) in these countries. It is estimated that without fertilizer nitrogen about half of the world population would have remained hungry and malnourished. However, excess fertilizer nitrogen is detrimen- tal to the environment. Ammonia volatilized from surface applied fertilizer nitrogen reduces air quality, while ni- trous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and is also responsible for depletion of…