Effect of zinc and iron biofortification on growth and yield of Rabi sorghum

Abstract

A field investigation entitled, “Effect of zinc and iron biofortification on growth and yield of rabi sorghum” was conducted during rabi season of 2023-2024 at the Instructional farm of PGI, MPKV, Rahuri, Dist. Ahilyanagar (Maharashtra). The soil of experimental field was low in available nitrogen (189.67 kg ha-1), medium in phosphorus (17.89 kg ha-1) and moderately high in potassium (378.51 kg ha-1). The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. There were nine treatments viz., T1: Absolute control, T2: RDF (80:40:40 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1), T3: GRDF (80:40:40 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 + FYM 5 t ha-1), T4: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1, T5: GRDF + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1, T6: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1, T7: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe, T8: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn, T9: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn.Among the different treatments, treatment (T9) involving the application of GRDF along with soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn exhibited significantly higher plant height (294.29 cm), number of leaves plant-1 (9.39) and dry matter plant-1 (180.67 g) at harvest as compared to rest of nutrient management treatments during rabi, 2023-24. This treatment was found significant but at par with treatment (T7) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe. However, this is followed by treatment (T8) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn. The sorghum crop fertilized with treatment (T9) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn exhibited significantly higher yield attributing characters viz., earhead length (23.26 cm), earhead weight (91.28 g), weight of grain earhead-1 (73.48 g), 1000 grain weight (33.57 g), grain yield (3781 kg ha-1) and stover yield (8408 kg ha-1) than other nutrient management treatments during investigation. This treatment was found significant but at par with treatment (T7) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe. However, this is followed by treatment (T8) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 + Soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20 kg ha-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn.