Yield and grain zinc concentration of wheat as affected by nutri priming and foliar application of zinc

Abstract

Two pot experiments were conducted during 2017-18 to see the effects of nutri priming of seeds with zinc solution and foliar application of zinc (alone and in combination with urea) on yield and grain zinc concentration of bread wheat. The results suggested that nutri priming of seeds with different concentrations (0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5% and 0.7%) of zinc sulphate heptahydrate solution could not improve yield over control. However, grain zinc concentration was significantly higher over control in all the nutri priming treatments, though there was no significant difference in grain zinc concentration among these nutri priming treatments. Foliar application of zinc significantly improved grain zinc concentration of wheat. Addition of urea at 0.5% and 1% to the spray solution could not bring significant improvement in grain zinc concentration over the application of zinc sulphate heptahydrate alone.