Effect of zinc on yield, quality and grain zinc content of rice genotypes

A field experiment was conducted during Thaladi (Rabi) season 2013–14 to study the effect of zinc application on yield, quality and grain zinc content of different rice genotypes in a split plot design. The main plots were two levels of Zn (no Zn and 100 kg/ha ZnSO₄.7H₂O at basal plus foliar application of 0.5 per cent ZnSO₄.7H₂O at flowering, milk and dough stages of rice) and sub-plots were 18 of rice genotypes. The application of zinc significantly increased the plant height, number of productive tillers, filled grains per panicle, panicle length and 1000-grain weight as compared to NPK fertilization alone. The yield of grain (4623 to 7434 kg/ha) and straw (6657 to 10041 kg/ha) of different rice genotypes significantly increased with the application of zinc in which the grain and straw yields were increased by 14 and 16 per cent respectively. Further the quality parameters like starch, amylase, crude protein and zinc content in processed rice grains increased markedly by the application of Zn as compared to NPK alone. Thus the present study indicated that the application of 100 kg/ha ZnSO₄.7H₂O at basal plus foliar application of 0.5 per cent ZnSO₄.7H₂O at flowering, milk and dough stages of rice along with 100 per cent NPK to rice genotypes enhanced considerably the productivity, quality and zinc content of rice grains.