Nano urea
Topic: Land Reforms, the Green Revolution and Farm Subsidies · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Nano urea is urea in liquid form, with nitrogen in nano-sized (extremely tiny) particles. Farmers spray it on the leaves instead of spreading granules on the soil. It is claimed to improve nutrient-use efficiency, meaning the plant takes up more of the nitrogen and less is wasted. The aim is to cut the use of conventional urea. Its efficacy is still debated.
Example
IFFCO launched nano urea in 2021 in small bottles. The idea is that one bottle can replace part of a bag of granular urea. Field studies on whether it keeps yields up are a current-affairs topic.
Don't confuse with
- Neem-coated urea: this is ordinary granular urea coated with neem oil so that it releases nitrogen slowly. Coating was made mandatory for all urea in 2015, partly to stop urea being diverted to industry. Nano urea is a different, liquid product sprayed on leaves.