Background: Challenging questions of the α-particle optical-model potential (OMP) are still pointed out by recent high-precision measurements of α-induced reaction data below the Coulomb barrier. Moreover, the reliability of a previous OMP for α-particles on nuclei within the mass number range 45≤A≤209 has been recently proved for emitted α particles as well, but only in the case of proton-induced reactions on Zn isotopes [Phys. Rev. C 91, 064611 (2015), Paper I].Purpose: Analysis of most recent (α, γ) reaction data for Ge and Zr isotopes, which provides an additional validation of the above-mentioned potential, is related to a further account of α-particle emission in neutron-induced reactions on Zr isotopes, at the same time with a suitable description of all competitive processes.Methods: A consistent parameter set, established or validated by independent analysis of recent various data, particularly γ-ray strength functions, have been involved within model calculation of the (α, γ) as well as (n, α) reaction cross sections. The latter are part of the whole analysis of the neutron activation of Zr isotopes, in order to avoid any error compensation or latent ambiguity. Results: The aforesaid potential provides a consistent description of recent α-induced reaction data with no empirical rescaling factors of the γ and/or nucleon widths. On the other hand, its use leads to underestimated predictions of the pre-equilibrium emission and statistical models for the (n, α) reaction cross sections.Conclusions: An optical potential with a volume imaginary component seems to be needed to describe the low-energy α-particle evaporation, while only surface absorption occurs in α-induced reactions at similar energies.