Zinc fertilization: Practice to improve zinc use efficiency and yield of wheat grown on calcareous soil

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted at PGI, Research Farm. Department of Soil Science and Agril. Chemistry, M.P.K.V., Rahuri, during the Rabi 2016-17. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replication and nine treatments. The treatment comprised of T1 : Absolute control, T2 : General recommended dose of fertilizer 120:60:40 kg ha-1 N : P2O5:K2O + 10 t FYM ha-1, T3 : GRDF with soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1, T4 : GRDF with 120 kg N through zinc coated urea + 60:40 P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 + 10 t ha-1 FYM, T5 : GRDF with soil application of cow dung slurry with ZnSO4, T6 : GRDF with soil application of 100 kg FYM + ZnSO4 @20kgha-1, T7 : GRDF with seed coating treatment of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1, T8 : GRDF with seed coating treatment of chelated Zn EDTA and T9: GRDF with seed treatment of zinc solubilizing bacteria + soil application of zinc sulphate @ 20kgha-1.The grain and straw yield of wheat was significantly increased (48.39 qha-1 and 53.52 qha-1 respectively) in treatment of GRDF with soil application of 100 kg FYM + ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1 incubated for one week. Which was at par with treatment of application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1 with cow dung slurry @500 Lha-1 at 30 DAS through irrigation along with GRDF i.e. 47.89 qha-1 grain yield and 51.06 qha-1 straw yield respectively. In conclusion, it was observed that zinc fertilization in zinc deficient calcareous soils improved the zinc use efficienc and yield of wheat.