Effect of zinc levels on growth and yield of forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]
Loading...
Date
2004-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2003, at Instructional Dairy Farm of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology , Pantnagar to study the effect of various levels of zinc (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg ha-1) and response of fodder sorghum varieties (Pant Chari –5, Pant Chari-4 and Rio) with respect to grain and stover yield, yield attributes quality and uptake of zinc. The soil of the experimental site was silty clay loam in texture having organic carbon (1.18 per cent), total nitrogen (0.17 per cent), available phosphorus (31.2 kg ha-1) and available potash (323.04 kg ha-1) with pH 7.2. Treatments consisted of three varieties and with four levels of zinc, with varieties in main plot and zinc levels in sub plots with four replications and experiment was laid out in split plot design. Among the verities, Pant Chari-5 recorded 10.33 and 22.05 per cent higher grain yield over Pant Chari-4 and Rio, respectively. Increase in green fodder yield was 10.74 and 16.73 per cent higher over Pant Chari-4 and Rio respectively. Zinc application @ 5 kg ha-1 was found significantly superior over 0, 10 and 15 kg ha-1 with respect to grain and stover yield, yield attributes and quality of fodder. Zinc application also increased the uptake of zinc upto the rate of 15 kg Zn ha-1. Similar trend was observed in digestibility of dry matter with zinc application upto 5 kg ha-1. Thus, it may be concluded that sorghum cv Pant Chari-5 along with 5 kg Zn ha-1 was indicative of the requirement of variety in Tarai conditions of Northern India. Stover quality was also superior at foresaid dose of zinc.
Description
Keywords
null