IMPACT OF NITROGEN AND ZINC CO-FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH VARIABLES, YIELD AND MICRO-NUTRIENTS BIO-FORTIFICATION IN RICE

Abstract

Executive Summary The study was conducted at the Research Farm of the Department of Agricultural Botany, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207 during November, 2021 to May, 2022 in Boro season to analyze the influence of nitrogen and zinc co-fertilization on the growth, yield and micronutrients bio-fortification in rice. The experiment included three doses of N (100, 130 and 160 kg ha -1 ) and four doses of Zn (0, 2, 4 and 6 kg ha

46 -1 ) fertilization. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three (3) replications. Results showed that tillers hill -1 , LAI, flag leaf chlorophyll content, CGR and biological yield (BY) were progressively increased with the integrated use of higher nitrogen (160 kg N ha and 4 kg Zn ha -1 -1 ) and zinc rates (6 kg Zn ha -1 ) produced the highest grain yield (8.91 t ha ). Combination of N -1 3 Zn 2

(160 kg N ha ) attributed by panicles hill , grains panicle -1 and 1000-grain weight, and it was 85.63% higher grain yield over the N

(100 kg N ha -1 and no zinc) . The application of 160 kg N ha -1 (N ) increased the concentration of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn in rice grain by14.95%, 8.28%, 16.36% and 10.34%, respectively compared to the dose of 100 kg N ha -1 (N ) . The concentration of Fe, Zn and Cu in rice grain gradually increased up to application of 4.0 kg Zn ha 1 -1 and in comparison with the control, by about 12.67%, 5.90% and 8.50%, respectively. Similarly, the concentration of Mn was increased by 5.67%. Therefore, N and Zn co-fertilization with high doses can be a good means of micronutrients bio-fortification and yield improvement in rice.