Effect of nutrient management on growth, productivity and quality of oats with special emphasis on zinc & boron

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2011–12 at agricultural research farm, Palli Siksha Bhavana (Institute of Agriculture), Visva-Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal to study the effect of nutrient management on seed production of oats with special emphasis on zinc & boron. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design having twelve treatments with each treatment replicated thrice. The use of 100% NPK + FYM @ 10t/ha + ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg/ha + Borax @10 kg/ha showed the highest growth attributes such as no. of tillers/plant, dry matter accumulation. This was at par with the application of 100% NPK+FYM @ 10 t/ha+ ZnSO₄ and Borax at their lower levels (@ 10 kg and 5 kg per ha, respectively). Yield components like number of filled grains/panicle, percent filled grains and test weight of oats seeds were non-significant except number of panicles/m². Application of 100% NPK+FYM@ 10 t/ha+ ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg/ha produced the highest no. of panicles/m² which was significantly higher than all other treatments. The highest grain yield, straw yield and biological yield were achieved from the treatment with 100% NPK+FYM@ 10 t/ha+ ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg/ha+ Borax @ 10 kg/ha. With respect to seed quality of oats, combined application of ZnSO₄ and Borax at their higher rates (20 Kg and 10kg/ha, respectively) along with 100% NPK+FYM@ 10 t/ha exhibited the highest nitrogen content (%) and crude protein percent. This treatment produced significantly higher crude protein yield than other treatments. Length, breadth and length: breadth ratio of oats was not influenced significantly by the treatments, it was found that combined application of ZnSO₄ and Borax at their higher rates i.e., 20 Kg and 10 kg/ha, respectively along with 100% NPK and FYM@ 10t/ha showed the highest content of N.