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The light texture coastal saline soils are well known for the deficiency of both macro and micronutrients especially zinc, boron, iron and manganese, etc. The zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) plays an important role in improving the growth, yield and quality of sesame. A field experiment was conducted to find out the influence of organics and micronutrients fertilization on the soil properties and yield of sesame in coastal saline soil. The experiment was carried out in a farmer’s field at Ponnanthittu coastal village, near Chidambaram Taluk, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. The Physico- chemical properties and nutrient status of initial soil were: pH- 8.43, EC- 4.25 dS m-1, organic carbon- 2.30 g kg-1 and DTPA Zn – 0.70 mg kg-1 and Mn- 0.96 mg kg-1, respectively. The treatments included were T1 -Control (Recommended dose of NPK), T2 –125% NPK + Composted coirpith (CCP) @ 12.5 t ha-1, T3 -T2 + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 soil application (SA), T4 -T2 + MnSO4 @ 5 kg ha-1 (SA), T5 -T2 + (ZnSO4 + MnSO4) SA, T6 -T2 + ZnSO4 @ 0.5 % foliar application (FA),T7 -T2 + MnSO4 (FA), T8 -T2 + (ZnSO4 + MnSO4 )FA, T9 -T2 + ZnSO4 (SA) + ZnSO4 (FA), T10-T2 + MnSO4 (SA) + MnSO4 (FA) and T11-T2 + (ZnSO4 + MnSO4 ) SA + (ZnSO4 + MnSO4 )FA. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications, using sesame variety TMV 7. The results of the study indicated that the combined application of 125 per cent NPK + composted coirpith (CCP) @ 12.5 t ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + MnSO4 @ 5 kg ha-1 through soil application along with foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + MnSO4 twice at 0.5 per cent significantly increased the soil nutrient availability, microbial population, enzyme activity and yield of sesame in coastal sandy soil. This treatment recorded the highest sesame seed yield of 815 kg ha-1 and stalk yield of 1805 kg ha-1 as compared 100% recommended NPK alone 421 and 944 kg ha-1 of seed and stalk yield, respectively.

The present study was aimed to study the effects of different zinc levels and sources on nutrient availability of cotton in saline sodic soil. A pot experiment was conducted in Factorial Completely Randomized Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of three different sources of zinc namely zinc sulphate, zinc-EDTA and zinc humate and four levels of Zn (0, 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mg kg-1). Cotton variety MCU-7 was grown as test crop. The dry matter production (DMP) and Zn uptake at different stages of crop growth were recorded in each pot separately. The uptake of NPK was recorded at harvest. The results of the study indicated that soil application of Zn significantly increased the dry matter production of the cotton invariably at all stages of crop growth. Among the three sources, Zn-humate recorded the highest DMP when compared with other two sources. Increasing the levels of Zn (0 to 5.0 mg kg-1) significantly increased the uptake of nitrogen, potassium and Zn. But phosphorus uptake by cotton was increased upto 2.5 mg kg-1 of Zn. Beyond that level, significant reduction in phosphorus uptake was observed. The present study concluded that 2.5 mg kg-1 of Zn through zinc humate is the optimum dose for highest dry matter production and maximum NPK and Zn uptake.

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