Abstract

Two on-farm trials conducted one each in Aligarh and Meerut districts of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India on zinc (Zn) deficient soils during the rainy season (July-October) showed that Zn application increased not only Zn concentration and uptake by rice but also increased protein content of rice kernels and concentrations of Fe, N, P and K due to the overall improvement in crop growth. Foliar application of Zn was better from the viewpoint of Zn biofortification of rice kernels; nevertheless much of the foliar applied Zn was retained in husk. Since, foliar application of Zn is made at a late stage of crop growth, hence it was not as effective as soil application in increasing yield attributes, yield and concentration and uptake of Fe, N, P and K in rice. This study brought out that adequate soil application of Zn sulphate followed by its foliar application is the best approach. Zn coated urea applying less than half the amount of Zn as applied through soil + foliar application was very close to it and is quite promising.

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