Zinc-enriched Farm Yard Manure Improves Grain Yield and Grain Zinc Concentration in Rice Grown on a Saline-sodic Soil

Zinc is widespread deficient in calcareous soils and its management is more complex in reduced root-zone conditions of rice grown on saline-sodic soils. Present pot study was conducted in a wire house, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2010 to compare Zn enriched farm yard manure (FYM) with chelated (Zn-EDTA) and non chelated (zinc sulphate, ZnSO4) Zn sources for optimum grain yield and higher Zn concentration in grains of rice (cv. Shaheen Basmati) grown in a salt-affected soil. Treatments comprised of 1.5, 3 or 6 mg Zn kg(-1) soil in the form of both ZnSO4 and Zn-EDTA, and Zn-enriched farm yard manure 5% of soil (w/w). Zn enrichment was done with same three levels of Zn using ZnSO4. Application of Zn increased plant growth, grain yield and Zn concentration in various tissues, irrespective of the Zn source. The increase in plant growth and Zn concentration was higher when plants were grown with Zn-enriched FYM compared to ZnSO4 or Zn-EDTA application alone. The maximum Zn concentration in rice grains (13.9 mg kg(-1)) and straw (19.1 mg kg(-1)) were obtained with the same treatment. It was concluded that application of ZnSO4 enriched FYM proved better over application of alone ZnSO4 or Zn-EDTA indicating the positive role of organic matter in increasing grain yield and grain Zn concentration on soils affected with salts and depleted in organic matter. (C) 2012 Friends Science Publishers