Efficacy of zinc nutrition for improving zinc content at different growth stages of rainfed pea-maize sequence in Northwestern Himalaya

In India, zinc (Zn) is now considered as fourth most important yield limiting nutrient of agricultural crops. Zinc deficiency in Indian soils is likely to increase from 42 to 63% by 2025. Efficacy of zinc nutrition for improving zinc content at different growth stages of rainfed pea-maize sequence in Northwestern Himalaya was carried out for two years (2014-15 and 2015-16) at the experimental farm of hill Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Bajaura, Kullu (H.P). Four priming levels of Zn (0% ZnSO4 - water soaking, 1% ZnSO4, 2% ZnSO4, and 3% ZnSO4) and three priming durations (4 , 8 and 12 hr) were compared with basal dose of recommended NPK + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha(-1) and farmers' practice (40% N of RDF + unprimed seed-control). The Zn content of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) crop at various growth stages was found maximum due to priming with 3% ZnSO4 for a period of 12 hr.