Evaluation of newly designed iron chelates for rainfed rice

A field experiment was conducted in Typic haplusterts, calcareous soil with objectives to increase rice grain yield and quality parameters using Fe (Iron) chelates under rainfed condition. There were eight treatments inclusive of control (water spray), foliar spraying (FS) with different concentration of two types of iron chelates (L and HEDP L) at active tillering (AT) and panicle initiation stages (PI), foliar spraying of 1% FeSO₄ + 0.1% citric acid at AT and PI, soil application of FeSO₄ @ 50 kg ha⁻¹ and FeSO₄ @ 25kg ha⁻¹ as enriched FYM replicated thrice in a randomized block design. Foliar spraying of 1% FeSO₄ + 0.1% citric acid resulted in higher yields of grain and straw yields of 3715 and 6564 kg ha⁻¹. It enhanced also the quality parameters viz., starch, amylose, crude protein and true protein in rice grains. The Fe concentration was the highest in processed rice viz., brown, milled and parboiled rice with the same treatment. The findings revealed that foliar spraying of 1% FeSO₄ + 0.1% citric acid, 0.3% Fe chelate L and soil application of enriched FYM were equally effective in increasing the yield of grain, straw and nutritional quality of rice