Effect of foliar application of iron and zinc on performance of transplanted rice in middle Gangetic plains of Bihar

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2015 and 2016 at research farmof the ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute Regional Station Pusa, Samastipur, Biharto determine the foliar feeding of micronutrients (iron and zinc at different growth stages)on growth, yield and economics of rice in middle Gangetic plains of Bihar. The experimentwas laid out in randomized block design consisting of 9 treatments with 3 replications. Thetreatments consist of 0.5% spray of Zinc Sulphate and 1% spray of Ferrous Sulphate at fourdifferent growth stages i.e. 40, 50, 60 and 70 days aĞer transplanting (DAT) and one con-trol. The results shown significant increasing trends of growth, yield aĴributes and yield ofrice with four sprays of 1.0% solution of FeSO4at 40, 50, 60 and 70 days and three sprays ofZnSO4at 50, 60 and 70 days recorded significantly higher plant height, effective tillers/m2,panicle length, grains/panicle, 1,000-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and straw yieldat maturity. These treatments also gave significantly higher net returns and benefit: cost ratioover the control.