A field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Karjat during kharif 2016-2019 to study the effect of zinc on soil fertility, yield, nutrients uptake and biochemical properties of rice under Inceptisols. Results revealed that the grain (50.65 q ha-1) and straw (56.74 q ha-1) yield of rice was significantly improved with application of zinc in the form of zinc sulphate @ 15 kg ha-1 at the time of transplanting through soil application (T7) which was better than foliar spray and root dipping methods. Significantly highest values of DTPA-extractable Zn (0.45 mg kg-1) and SO4-S (32.40 kg ha-1) were registered in the treatment T8. The zinc supplied plots led to significant enhancement in total N (93.38 kg ha-1), P (15.55 kg ha-1), K (96.80 kg ha-1) and S (35.54 kg ha-1) uptake in the treatment T7 and Zn (183.40 g ha-1) in the treatment T8. The treatment T7 showed higher hulling (74.28%), milling (63.32%), gel consistency (81mm), alkali spreading value (4.0) as well as the head rice recovery (57.80%), protein (8.96%) and amylose (24.40%) content which was acceptable.Overall, Zn-fertilization assumes great significance in improving soil properties, productivity and quality of rice.

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Background: Briquettes is more efficient than conventionally applied nutrients as it reduce the loss of nutrients by obtaining higher yield and decreased the expenditure cost of fertilizers. Indian soils are 49 per cent deficient in zinc which is characterized by widespread Zn deficiency in human beings. Methods: Three different zinc fortified briquettes viz., UB-DAP, UB-suphala and UB-KAB were tested in field experiments during kharif season of 2016-19 to compare and calculate variations in yield, yield attributing characters and nutrients uptake by rice (Oryza sativa L.). Result: The results showed that treatment UB-KAB fortified with 10 kg ZnSO4.7H2O ha-1 (T8) registered higher growth, yield parameters and Zn concentration in grain indicating zinc-sulfate-heptahydrate (ZSHH) offers vital solution to curtail Zn malnutrition. Further, UB-KAB fortified through ZSHH (T8) significantly enhanced the grain (55.2 q ha-1) and straw (63.6 q ha-1) yield of rice over RDF and absolute control. Application of UB-KAB fortified with 10 kg ZnSO4.7H2O ha-1 (T8) significantly increased nutrient uptake of N (97.2 kg ha-1), P (20.2 kg ha-1), K (95.5 kg ha-1), Zn (262.4 g ha-1) and S (53.9 kg ha-1) over fertilizer control (75% RDF) and absolute control. The applications of KAB fortified with zinc sulphate assume great significance in improving rice productivity.

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