1Ph.D. Scholar, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASARD), Nagaland University, Medziphema797 106
2Scientists, ICAR-Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, Maharashtra440 010
3Scientist, ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Meghalaya793 103
4Principal Scientist, ICAR-Research Complex for NEH Region, Tripura Centre, Lembucherra, Agartala799 210
5Scientist, Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station, ICAR-NRRI, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand825 302
6Assistant Professor, Agronomy, College of Post Graduate Studies, CAU, Umiam, Meghalaya793 103
7Principal Scientist, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi110 012
ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hills Region, Umiam, Meghalaya793 103
*Corresponding author's Email: rgidu@yahoo.co.in
Online Published on 11 March, 2022.
An experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2015 at Umiam, Meghalaya, to study the effect of zinc fertilizer on growth, yield and nitrogen uptake in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Soil and foliar application of different Zn sources in various concentrations were compared with prilled urea and no-urea application (control). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized block design with 10 treatments a 3 replications. Application of Zn in different forms produced significantly higher dry matter and root dry weight of rice at different growth stages over the control. Yield attributes and yield of rice crop were higher with the application of 3% Zn-coated urea (ZnCU), followed by soil application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha over the control. The rice crop removed higher amount of N, P, K and Zn from soil with the soil application of 3% ZnCU, but the removal of S was higher with soil application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha than the other treatments. Significant effect on available N and S in soil after rice harvesting was observed owing to application of Zn treatments over no-urea. Soil application of 2% or 3% ZnCU or soil application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha resulted in significantly higher available Zn content in soil over prilled urea and no urea. Application of 3% ZnCU (5.46 t/ha) or soil application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha (5.36 t/ha) showed a trend to increase the grain yield over prilled urea (4.37 t/ha). Application of Zn had positive effect on soil-dehydrogenase enzyme activity but did not influence the soil microbial biomass carbon content. Hence ZnCU is a recommendable option for rice cultivation in North-Eastern Hills region for achieving sustainable production and improving soil health.
Growth, North-Eastern hills (NEH) region of India, Rice, Uptake, Yield, Zinc, Zn-coated urea
