Effect of Bio-fortification through organic and inorganic sources of Zinc & Iron on growth, yield & quality of aromatic rice
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Date
2020
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Department of Agronomy, BAU, Sabour
Abstract
Rice is the staple food crop for more than half of the world’s population which represents a major source of minerals and proteins in developing world and supplies adequate energy in the form of calories and is a good source of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. But, it lacks other important vitamins such as vitamin A, nutrients like iron and zinc, which are essential to human health (Stalin et al. 2011). Zinc and iron deficiencies are well documented problems in food crops, causing decreased crop yields and nutritional quality also. Deficiency of these elements may be overcomed through genetic biofortification and agronomic fortication. The agronomic fortification is cost effective having easy accessibility and gives rapid results. Through this agronomic approach, bio-fortification of rice with Zn and Fe may be possible by adding micronutrient containing fertilizers to the soil or by foliar spray of these micro-nutrients on the plants or through integration of both the methods by utilizing inorganic or inorganic sources.
A field experiment entitled “Effect of Bio-fortification through organic and inorganic sources of Zinc & Iron on growth, yield & quality of aromatic rice” was conducted during kharif season of 2019 at Research Farm, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur to find out the effect of bio-fortification of Zn and Fe on growth parameters, yield attributes, yield, quality and economics of aromatic rice. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with ten treatments and replicated thrice.
The results of the experiment indicated that the treatment T7 (RDF + SA of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1 + SA of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1) recorded significantly higher values of growth and yield attributes including grain as well as straw yield over control. However, it was statistically at par with treatment T8 (RDF + 2 FS of 0.5 % ZnSO4 & 2 FS of 0.5 % FeS04 each at 25 DAT & 1 week after flowering).
Growth parameters viz., Plant height , number of tillers hill-1, leaf area index and dry matter accumulation at harvest was recorded the highest in treatment T7 (108.53 cm, 16.37, 3.29 and 1001.12 g m-2, respectively) which was statistically at par with T8 (108.38 cm, 14.89, 3.28 and 927.60 g m-2 respectively ).
In case of yield attributes viz., number of filled grains panicle-1 and test weight was found highest in treatment T7 (113.00 and 17.60 g respectively) which was statistically at par with T8 (107.33 and 17.05 g, respectively).
Soil application of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 each @ 25 kg ha-1 along with RDF recorded significantly higher grain and straw yield of 41.30 q ha-1 and 59.05 q ha-1, respectively followed by T8 (Foliar spray of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 each @ 0.5 % at 25 DAT and 1 week after flowering along with RDF) .
In quality parameters the treatments were found comparable with each other. However, highest values of hulling percentage (78.43 %), milling percentage (63.74 %), amylose content (25.13 %) and aroma score (2.51) were recorded with treatment T8 (RDF + 2 FS of 0.5 % ZnSO4 & 2 FS of 0.5 % FeS04 each at 25 DAT & 1 week after flowering) while protein content (7.82 %) was found highest with treatment T7 (RDF + SA of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1 + SA of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1).
Effect of bio-fortification through Zn and Fe on economics showed that the gross return (98250 ₹ ha-1), net return (65698 ₹ ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (2.02) were higher with treatment T7 (RDF + SA of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1 + SA of FeSO4 @ 25 kg ha -1) and it was found comparable with T8 (RDF + 2 FS of 0.5 % ZnSO4 & 2 FS of 0.5 % FeS04 each at 25 DAT & 1 week after flowering) in case of net return (60174 ₹ ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (1.90).
For getting higher grain yield and net profit as well as better bio-fortification of aromatic rice with Zn & Fe,, soil application of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 each @ 25 kg ha-1 along with RDF may be recommended and foliar application of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 each @ 0.5 % at 25 DAT & 1 week after flowering along with RDF may be recommended as the best alternative.