Zinc Application in Combination with Zinc Solubilizing Enterobacter sp. MN17 Improved Productivity, Profitability, Zinc Efficiency, and Quality of Desi Chickpea

Abstract

Chickpea is mostly grown in sandy loam soils having receding soil moisture and Zn deficiency, which limits the chickpea productivity. Zn solubilizing plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) may improve the availability and uptake of Zn in these soils. This 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effects of pre-optimized Zn application methods and Zn solubilizing PGPB (i.e., endophyte Enterobacter sp. MN17) on the productivity and quality of desi chickpea during 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. Zn was delivered through osmopriming (0.001 M Zn solution), seed coating (5 mg Zn kg −1 seed), foliar application (0.025 M Zn solution), and soil application (10 kg Zn ha −1 ) with or without Zn solubilizing PGPB, while hydroprimed seeds were taken as control. Zn application through either method improved the grain yield, economics, bioavailable Zn, and grain quality of desi chickpea. The maximum improvement in grain yield (43.7%) was recorded with Zn soil application followed by Zn seed coating (38.8%). The highest protein contents (22.8%), grain Zn concentration (45.8 μg g −1 ), bioavailable Zn contents (4.38 mg Zn day −1 ), and minimum phytate contents (12.0 mg g −1 ) were recorded by Zn soil application. The maximum mineral matter (3.89%) and fiber contents (4.81%) were recorded with Zn soil application + PGPB. The maximum agronomic efficiency (6409 kg kg −1 ), agro-physiological efficiency (160 kg kg −1 ), and apparent recovery efficiency (76.8%) were noted by Zn osmopriming + PGPB. However, the maximum physiological (289 kg kg −1 ) and utilization (10,559 kg kg −1 ) efficiencies were recorded with Zn osmopriming. Moreover, the highest economic returns ($1518.2 ha −1 ) and marginal net benefits ($571.5 ha −1 ) were recorded with Zn soil application + PGPB. To improve the productivity, profitability, and grain quality of desi chickpea, Zn application through soil or seed coating in combination with plant growthpromoting bacteria may be opted to maximize the productivity and profitability.

Biofortification of Forage Peas with Combined Application of Selenium and Zinc Under Mediterranean Conditions

“…The soil Zn application might be convenient to increase the forage yield of the crop as long as the soil concentration is deficient such as in our conditions. However, this soil Zn application did not increase the Zn concentration in forage, which is in disagreement with those observed in other legumes, like chickpea (Ullah et al 2020), where the soil application was the most effective treatment in the Zn enrichment, but in this case of the grain. It is possible that in our case, the amount of soil Zn supplemented might have compensated only partially the initial high Zn deficiency into soil, enough to allow plants increasing their vegetative growth, but not for an extra Zn accumulation in forage.…”

Common Bean Yield and Zinc Use Efficiency in Association with Diazotrophic Bacteria Co-Inoculations

“…The inoculation of diazotrophic bacteria can improve Zn solubilization and availability to plants through the production of several phytohormones and enzymes and the biological fixation of nitrogen [23,29]. These bacteria facilitate Zn assimilation and accumulation through carboxylation and solubilization, unlike sole Zn applications that generate Zn toxicity [47].…”

Agronomic Biofortification of Zinc in Pakistan: Status, Benefits, and Constraints

“…Zinc fertilization has proved effective in enhancing the grain Zn concentration and estimated bioavailable Zn in legumes ( Table 1). In a recent field study, Ullah et al (2020d) demonstrated that Zn application through seed treatments, soil, and foliar application in combination with plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) limited the grain phytate accumulation, and enhanced the grain Zn concentration and estimated bioavailable Zn (3.99-4.45 mg Zn day −1 ) in desi chickpea. Likewise, Rasheed et al (2020) applied soil Zn to 16 lentil genotypes and found that soil Zn (9 mg Zn kg −1 soil) application substantially fostered the grain Zn concentration and estimated bioavailable Zn (2.17-2.97 mg day −1 ) in tested lentil genotypes.…”

“…They further reported high BCR and economic returns (877 USD ha −1 ) with soil Zn fertilization. In several field studies, Zn delivery through seed treatments (seed priming and seed coating) have reported better grain yield and high economic returns compare to soil and foliar Zn application under diverse soil and climatic conditions (Arif et al, 2007;Farooq et al, 2018;Rehman et al, 2018a,b;Ullah et al, 2020d). However, seed treatments are less effective in improving grain Zn concentration (Farooq et al, 2018;Yousaf et al, 2019).…”