Productivity, profitability and zinc content in grain of rice as influenced by different levels and sources of zinc

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Research cum Instructional farm, IGKV, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India during kharif season of 2016 to assess the effect of different levels and sources of zinc application on growth, yield, zinc content and economics of rice. Nine treatments of zinc fertilization and one control (Without zinc) were allocated randomly in simple randomized block design and replicated thrice. Zinc content was estimated by using standard method described under Harvest Plus (2005) guidelines using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS200). The results revealed that maximum effective tillers was recorded with application of 50 kg ZnSO4 ha -1 in soil + Two foliar spray of 0.2% Zn through Zn-EDTA at panicle initiation (PI) and flowering (FL). Almost similar test weight and, grain (55.87 q ha -1 ) and straw yields (72.73 q ha -1 ) were recorded with application of 25 kg and 50 kg ZnSO4 ha -1 in soil each + Two foliar spray of 0.2% Zn through ZnSO4 and through Zn-EDTA at PI and FL stage and, with three foliar spray of 0.2% Zn through ZnSO4 at tillering, PI and FL stage. The maximum zinc content in grain and straw was observed with application of 50 kg ZnSO4 ha -1 in soil + Two foliar spray of 0.2% Zn through ZnSO4 at PI and FL. The maximum net returns (Rs. 65574 ha -1 ) and benefit cost ratio (2.60) were recorded with three foliar spray of 0.2% Zn through ZnSO4 at tillering, PI and FL stage.