Zinc fertilization for improving grain yield, zinc concentration and uptake in different rice genotypes

A pot experiment was conducted in the experimental farm of Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), Khudwani of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir. The experimental soil was slity clay loam, low in available N, medium in P and K and deficient in Zn with neutral pH, and was laid out in completely randomised design (CRD) with three replications to study the response of varying Zn concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg Zn kg-1 soil) in four rice genotypes (Jhelum, SR1, China 1007 and China1039). Genotypes differed significantly in grain yield.Among the genotypes SR1 gave significantly higher grain yield over Jhelum and both out yielded the rest two genotypes. Increase in Zn concentration due to the progressive increase in Zn levels to 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg Zn kg-1 was 43.5, 71.5. 79.5 and 80.4% over control during the year 2011, respectively. The corresponding figures during the year 2012 were 47.8, 68.8, 74.8, 78.9%, respectively. Overall Zn concentration in brown rice, hull, straw and roots was of the order of China 1039>Jhelum>China 1007>SR1. Among the genotypes China 1039 and Jhelum gave better response to higher levels of Zn with regard to Zn content in brown rice.