Response of zinc application under integrated plant nutrient supply in aerobic rice of inceptisol

Field experiment was conducted at instructional farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh during kharif 2019 to investigate the response of zinc application under integrated plant nutrient supply in aerobic rice of Inceptisol. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design comprising thirteen treatments consisting of different combinations with three replications. The results revealed that the rice responded significantly to graded doses of zinc application. All the treatments containing Zn enhanced grain yield from 15.96 to 61.14 per cent over control. However, there was no effect observed in case of straw yield, where the increase was observed from 10.59 to 40.33 per cent. The treatment containing ZnSO₄ 25 kg/ha, was superior over control, though at par with some other treatments for N, P K and Zn content in rice grain and straw. The N, K and Zn uptake in grain and straw was recorded maximum in treatments RDF: NPKZn 100:60:40:25 kg/ha + vermicompost 3 tonnes/ha + FYM 5 tonnes/ha + ZSB + PSB + Azotobactor and RDF: NPKZn 100:60:40:30 kg/ha + vermicompost 3 tonnes/ha+ FYM 5 tonnes/ha + ZSB + PSB + Azotobactor. The P uptake in straw was the maximum in the former treatment. The N, P, K and Zn uptake increased with the increase in Zn content up to 25 tonnes/ha but decreased when the Zn dose was increased. The net return increased from Rs 25,383.00 to 50,863.00 in various Zn containing treatments as compared to Rs 20,352.00 in control. Maximum B-C ratio of 2.10 was recorded in treatment containing Zn 25 kg/ha as compared to 1.51 recorded in control.