The field experiment was conducted to study the "Response of iron and zinc on yield, quality and soil nutrient dynamics of pearl millet on vertisol" was carried out at experimental farm, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Parbhani during kharif 2019. The field experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and eight treatment combinations. The treatments consist of absolute Control, RDF (60:30:30 N:P 2 O 5 :K 2 O kg ha -1 ), RDF + FeSO 4 25 kg ha -1 , RDF + ZnSO 4 25 kg ha -1 , RDF+ FeSO 4 25 kg ha -1 + ZnSO 4 25 Kg ha -1 , RDF+ foliar spray of FeSO 4 @ 0.5 % at 30 DAS & 45 DAS, RDF+ foliar spray of ZnSO 4 @ 0.5 % at 30 DAS and 45 DAS and RDF + foliar spray of FeSO 4 and ZnSO 4 @ 0.5 % at 30 DAS & 45 DAS. Significantly higher grain and stover yield was produced with RDF + soil application of 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 + 25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 and it was followed by the treatment RDF+ foliar spray of ZnSO 4 and FeSO 4 @ 0.5 % each at 30 & 45 DAS. The uptake of nutrient was significantly influenced by different soil and foliar application treatments of Fe and Zn. The maximum N, P and K uptake by pearl millet grain and stover was noticed in treatment consisting of RDF+ 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 + 25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 followed by the RDF+ foliar spray of ZnSO 4 and FeSO 4 @ 0.5 % each at 30 & 45 DAS. Similarly, significantly highest Fe and Zn uptake by grain and stover was observed with RDF+ 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 +25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 . The soil application of Fe and Zn to pearl millet significantly contributed in improving soil fertility and there by crop yield. The organic carbon content was highest in treatment RDF + FeSO 4 25 kg ha -1 + ZnSO 4 25 kg ha -1 , available nitrogen was highest in treatment RDF + foliar spray of ZnSO 4 @ 0.5 % at 30 DAS & 45 DAS, available phosphorus was highest in treatment RDF + foliar spray of FeSO 4 @ 0.5 % at 30 DAS & 45 DAS, available potassium was highest in treatment RDF and sulphur was observed highest with RDF + 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 + 25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 , Combined foliar application of RDF + 0.5 % chelated Fe and Zn at tillering and panicle initiation stages also significantly improved the nutrient availability. The maximum available Fe was noticed under RDF + 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 +25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 and the maximum availability of Zn was observed with RDF + 25 kg ha -1 FeSO 4 + 25 kg ha -1 ZnSO 4 . Soil and foliar application of Fe and Zn along with RDF found beneficial in improving the soil nutrient status, nutrient uptake and there by pearl millet yield.
K e y w o r d sIron, zinc and pearl millet