Effect of Rate and Mode of Zinc Application on Zinc Dynamics in Typic Haplustalfs under Rainfed Conditions

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of various modes and rate of zinc (Zn) application on distribution of soil Zn fractions under pigeon pea crop at Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Chitrakoot during 2013-15. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design having 15 different treatments with three replications. The various Zn fractions in soil viz., water soluble and exchangeable Zn (WS+EX-Zn), crystalline sesquioxide bound Zn (CRYOX-Zn), organically complexed Zn (OCX-Zn), amorphous sesquioxide bound Zn (AMOX-Zn), residual Zn (Res-Zn) and total Zn were studied after crop harvest during both the years. The results showed that the WS+EX-Zn, CRYOX-Zn, OCX-Zn and AMOX-Zn content in soil found 23-199, 45-177, 2-80 and 27-68 per cent higher, respectively under the treatments receiving different mode and rate of Zn application and their combination as compared to no Zn application. Also, the Res-Zn content in soil varied -7.7 to 2.5 per cent under these treatments. Similarly, the total Zn content was found 3.7-10.7 per cent higher under these treatments. Further, the various Zn fractions showed positive correlations with each other except residual Zn. The combined mode of Zn application (soil fertilization + foliar + FYM) showed significant improvement in plant available soil Zn fractions.