Phenophase-based nitrogen and zinc scheduling for agronomic zinc biofortification and indices of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

摘要

A field experiment was conducted during winter (rabi) season of 2012-13 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, to access nitrogen and zinc management on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) phenophase (Zadoks scale) to increase yield, grain zinc content (agronomic biofortification) and agronomic indices of wheat. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (factorial) with 4 nitrogen scheduling [0 kg N/ha, 50% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) at sowing + 50% RDN at Z_(20), 50% RDN at sowing + 25% RDN at Z20+ 25% RDN at Z30 and 50% RDN at sowing + 25% RDN at Z_(20) + 25% RDN at Z_(37)) and 4 zinc scheduling (0 kg Zn/ha, 0.5% Zn-EDTA spray at Z_(45), 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z_(46) + 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z_(60) and 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at + 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z73). Nitrogen scheduling (50% RDN at sowing + 50% RDN at Z_(20)) and zinc scheduling (0.5% Zn-EDTA spray at Z_(46)) recorded significantly higher effective tillers, 1,000-grain weight, yield, zinc uptake, partial factor productivity (PEP), agronomic efficiency (AE) and recovery efficiency (RE) over the other treatments. Nitrogen and zinc management also positively interacted and recorded higher effective tillers, grain yield, and nitrogen and zinc uptake with N, x Znv however, the maximum grain zinc content (52.30 mg/kg) was recorded with N3 x Zn2 combination.