Response of rice to leaf surface application of nano Zn vis-à-vis ZnSO₄ on productivity and grain quality

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in Central farm, OUAT, Bhubaneswar during 2021 and 2022, Kharif where foliar spraying of nano fertilizer (zinc) was evaluated for its suitability with conventional zinc sulphate on a cereal crop (rice). The treatments comprised of such as T1:control (no zinc), T2: Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 12.5 Kg/ha, T3: leaf surface application of ZnSO₄ once @ 0.5%,T4: leaf surface application of IFFCO nanozinc once, T5: leaf surface application of IFFCO Nanozinc twice,T6: leaf surface application of Green synthesized nano zinc once, T7: leaf surface application of Green synthesized nano zinc twice, T8: leaf surface application of Chemically synthesized nanozinc once and T9: leaf surface application of Chemically synthesized nanozinc once replicated thrice in RBD. All the treatments received common NPK at recommended dose. The results revealed that the rice crop responded to zinc by producing more yield over no zinc control with a response range of 5.8-17.06%. highest response was observed in the soil application of ZnSO₄ and lowest in the chemically synthesized nano zinc. Leaf surface application of green synthesized nanozinc twice recorded higher value Zn content (41.5) along with other quality parameters than that of leaf application of nano zinc once. Among three nano sources green synthesized performed best followed by IFFCO and chemically synthesized one. However nano zinc can be applied as supplemental dose for rice crop.