Zinc-iron interactions in submerged rice soils: Effects on nutrient availability and plant uptake: Zinc-iron interactions in submerged rice soils

Anwesha Samanta; Gora Chand  Hazra; Animesh Ghosh  Bag; Nitin  Chatterjee

Authors

Anwesha Samanta
Gora Chand Hazra Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India
Animesh Ghosh Bag School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Nitin Chatterjee Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, India

Keywords:

Rice, Soil, Zinc, Iron, Interaction

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) are essential micronutrients for rice and play a critical role in improving human nutrition. A laboratory incubation study followed by a pot experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2019-20 to evaluate the interaction between Zn and Fe in soil and rice plants under submerged conditions. Application of Zn at 10 kg ha-1 significantly increased available Zn in both incubation and pot soils, whereas increasing Fe application reduced Zn availability. Submergence further decreased Zn availability but enhanced Fe concentration in soil. The highest Fe availability was observed in the treatment without Zn but with 10 kg ha-¹ Fe, which was 27.94% higher than the control. A negative correlation between available Zn and Fe in soil was observed across different rice growth stages (r = -0.026 to -0.438*). Increasing Fe levels reduced Zn concentration in rice tissues, while higher Zn application decreased Fe concentration, indicating antagonistic interaction. Grain Zn showed strong positive correlations with root Zn (r = 0.887**) and straw Zn (r = 0.894**). Soil Zn was strongly correlated with plant Zn (R² = 0.80-0.98**), whereas soil Fe showed weak and non-significant relationships. The highest grain Zn (35.88 mg kg-1) was recorded in the treatment receiving 10 kg ha-1 Zn without Fe, while the highest grain Fe (30.5 mg kg-1) was observed with 10 kg ha-¹ Fe without Zn, confirming antagonistic Zn-Fe interactions in the soil-plant system.

Author Biography

Anwesha Samanta

DEPT. OF SOIL SCIENCE, Research Scholar

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Zinc-iron interactions in submerged rice soils: Effects on nutrient availability and plant uptake