Abstract

To increase grain Zn concentration of wheat grown on calcareous soil, field and hydroponic culture experiments
were conducted to investigate the effects of various Zn fertilization methods on Zn absorption and translocation
in wheat. A completely randomized block design was used in the field experiment comprising five Zn treatments
(0, 7.5, 15, 30, and 45 kg Zn/ha as ZnSO4·7H2O) and wheat cultivar (Zhengmai 9023). The hydroponic experiment used a completely randomized block design with two factors (Zn supplementation to root and foliar
spray of Zn). Results showed that in the field experiment, Zn fertilization significantly increased the amount of
soil diethylene triamine penlaacetic acid-Zn (DTPA-Zn), whereas there was no significant effect on Zn
concentration in grain. Furthermore, the utilization rate of Zn fertilizer was only 0.98%, 0.64%, 0.29%, and
0.14% with treatments of 7.5, 15, 30, and 45 mg Zn ha-1, respectively. In contrast, the hydroponic experiment
showed that both foliar spray and Zn supplied to roots significantly increased Zn concentration in grain, with the
greatest concentration found in shoots. Results suggested that lower absorption and translocation were the
inhibitory factors to increase grain Zn concentration in calcareous soil. Consequently, Zn fertilization to
potentially Zn-deficient calcareous soils is not effective method to increase grain Zn concentration.

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