RESPONSE OF BORO RICE TO FOLIAR SPRAY OF ZINC AND BORON

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207 during the period from November 2016 to May, 2017 to find out the response of boro rice to foliar spray of zinc and boron. Treatment were T 1 = Recommended Fertilizer (RF), T 2 = RF+ Foliar spray (FS) with water at tiller initiation (TI), T 3 = RF + Foliar spray (FS) with water at flowering initiation (FI), T 4 = Zn (0.2%) FS at TI + RF, T 5 =Zn (0.5%) FS at TI + RF, T 6 =Zn (0.8%) FS at TI + RF, T 7 = Zn (0.2%) FS at FI + RF, T 8 =Zn (0.5%) FS at FI + RF, T 9 = Zn (0.8%) FS at FI + RF, T 10 = B (0.5%) FS at TI + RF, T 11 = B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF, T 12 = B (2.0%) FS at TI + RF, T 13 = B (0.5%) FS at FI + RF, T 14 = B (1.5%) FS at FI + RF, T 15 = B (2.0%) FS at FI + RF. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on different growth, yield and yield contributing parameters were recorded. The highest plant height (12.39, 31.12, 44.38, 59.47 and 103.34 cm at 15, 30, 45, 60 DAT and at harvest, respectively) was obtained from T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] where the lowest plant height (13.18, 24.40, 33.53, 44.94 and 78.59 cm at 15, 30, 45, 60 DAT and at harvest, respectively) was found from T 1 (Recommended Fertilizer (RF)). The highest LAI (0.78, 0.85, 0.1.32, 3.00, 3.49 cm 2 ) and at harvest, respectively) was obtained from the treatment T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] and the lowest was found in (0.74, 0.79, 1.10, 2.24, 2.58 cm 2 ) at 15, 30, 45, 60 DAT and at harvest, respectively) was found from T 1 (Recommended Fertilizer (RF)). The highest number of effective tillers hill -1 (15.13), panicle length (27.86 cm) and filled grains panicle -1 (155.52) was obtained from T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] whereas the lowest was found from T 1 (Recommended Fertilizer (RF)). The maximum days to panicle initiation, days to flowering and days to maturity (79.67, 117.67 and 152.67 days) was obtained from T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] the lowest was found from the treatment T 1 (Recommended Fertilizer (RF)). The highest grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and harvest Index (7.10 t ha -1 , 7.61 t ha -1 , 14.71 t ha -1 and 48.26) was obtained from the treatment T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] where the lowest was found from the treatment T 1 (Recommended Fertilizer (RF)). From the above findings, it may be concluded that among the treatment T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] performed the best results. So, the treatment T 11 [B (1.5%) FS at TI + RF] showed the superior combination compared to other treatment combinations for rice production.