​Yield Attributes, Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) as Influenced by Zinc Fortified Briquettes in Medium Black Soil

Abstract

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.