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

Abstract

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 Z20, 50% RDN at sowing + 25% RDN at Z20 + 25% RDN at Z30 and 50% RDN at sowing + 25% RDN at Z20 + 25% RDN at Z37 ) and 4 zinc scheduling (0 kg Zn/ha, 0.5% Zn-EDTA spray at Z45, 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z45 + 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z60 and 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z45 + 0.25% Zn-EDTA spray at Z73 ). Nitrogen scheduling (50% RDN at sowing + 50% RDN at Z20) and zinc scheduling (0.5% Zn-EDTA spray at Z45) 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 N1 × Zn1; however, the maximum grain zinc content (52.30 mg/kg) was recorded with N3 × Zn2 combination. © 2018, Indian Society of Agronomy. All rights reserved.