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Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Main Rice Research Centre, Soil and Water Management Research Unit, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat during kharif seasons of 2019-2021 to study the influence of zinc source on yield of hybrid rice and Zn uptake by rice plant in response to zinc sulphate (ZnSO4 ) and zn-ethylene diamine tetra acetate (Zn-EDTA) as Zn source carried out in randomized block design with four replications. The experiment consists of eight treatments viz., Z1 : control, Z2 : application of Zn as per soil test based through ZnSO4 , Z3 :100% soil application (ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1), Z4 : spray 0.05% ZnSO4 at tillering +panicle initiation (PI) stage, Z5 : spray 0.1% ZnSO4 at tillering + PI stage, Z6 : spray 0.05% Zn -at tillering + PI stage, Z7 : spray 0.1 % Zn-EDTA at tillering stage + PI stage and Z8 : application of Zn as per soil test based through Zn-EDTA. The results revealed that yield attributes and yield of rice was significantly enhanced on addition of zinc sources over control. The maximum panicle length, panicle weight, grain and straw yield were recorded with the application of zinc as per soil test based application through Zn-EDTA and was on par with spraying of 0.05 and 0.1 % Zn-EDTA at tillering and panicle initiation stage. Application of zinc in the form of Zn-EDTA resulted in grater values for these parameters as compared to zinc sulphate source. Application of both zinc sources failed to produce any remarkable changes in zinc content in rice grain. However, zinc content in rice straw and zinc uptake by rice plant was recorded higher with the application of Zn-EDTA. Thus, Zn-EDTA proved to be efficient sources as foliar spray @ 0.05 % for rice production and Zn uptake by rice plant.