Nitrogenous Fertilizer Coated With Zinc Improves the Productivity and Grain Quality of Rice Grown Under Anaerobic Conditions

Abstract

An ample quantity of water and sufficient nutrients are required for economical rice production to meet the challenges of ever-increasing food demand. Currently, slow-release nitrogenous fertilizers for efficient inputs utilization and maximum economic yield of field crops are in the limelight for researchers and farmers. In this study, we evaluated the comparative efficacy of conventional urea and coated urea (zinc and neem) on rice grown under aerobic and anaerobic regimes in greenhouse conditions. For the aerobic regime, field capacity was maintained at 80–100% to keep the soil aerated. On the other hand, for the anaerobic regime, pots were covered with a polythene sheet throughout the experimentation to create flooded conditions. All forms of urea, conventional and coated (zinc and neem), improved plant growth, gas exchange, yield, yield contributing parameters, and quality characteristics of rice crop. However, better performance in all attributes was found in the case of zinc-coated urea. Gas exchange attributes (photosynthetic rate, 30%, and stomatal conductance 24%), yield parameters like plant height (29%), tillers per plant (38%), spikelets per spike (31%), grains per panicle (42%), total biomass (53%), and grain yield (45%) were recorded to be maximum in rice plants treated with zinc-coated urea. The highest grain and straw nitrogen contents, grain protein contents, and grain water absorption ratio were also found in plants with zinc-coated urea applications. In irrigation practices, the anaerobic regime was found to be more responsive compared to the aerobic regime regarding rice growth, productivity, and quality traits. Thus, to enhance the productivity and quality of rice grown in anaerobic conditions, zinc-coated urea is best suited as it is more responsive when compared to other forms of urea.

Zinc and nitrogen mediate the regulation of growth, leading to the upregulation of antioxidant aptitude, physio-biochemical traits, and yield in wheat plants

“…As a critical nutrient, the N plays a key role in Zn sequestrations in the wheat's vegetative and reproductive parts of the wheat 51 , 52 . Nitrogen as a macronutrient enhances vegetative growth by regulating the morphologic, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms 53 . The Zn plays an indispensable role in development by regulating the levels of antioxidants and nucleic acid metabolism, a key part of carbonic anhydrase enzymes involved in auxin biosynthesis 54 , 55 .…”

Starch Physicochemical Properties of Normal Maize under Different Fertilization Modes

“…The N release of the SF agrees with the crop nutrient requirement, allowing for the coordination of vegetative and reproductive growth, a reduction in nutrient loss, an improvement in N utilization efficiency and a reduction in topdressing labor costs [ 19 ]. In the past decade, studies on rice [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ] and wheat [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ] have reported that the application of SF affects the grain quality by changing the concentrations of protein, starch, oil and mineral elements. However, studies have mainly focused on the grain quality while starch structural and functional properties have received less attention [ 30 , 31 ].…”