Response Agronomic Traits of Lentil Varieties to Zinc Fertilization in Calcareous and Terrace Soils of Bangladesh

Zinc (Zn) fertilization is reflected a significant agronomic strategy for global food security. Deficiency of zinc in soils could be caused to decrease the crop yield. Hence an experiment was made over two years at the research farm of Pulses Research Sub-Station of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur and in the research farm of Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Ishwardi and Jessore, during Rabi season to assess the sensitivity of different varieties of lentil to Zn fertilization and evaluate the Zn in terms of yield and Zn mineral content in seed. There were 12 treatment combinations comprising six lentil varieties (V1 = BARI Masur-2, V2 = BARI Masur-3, V3 = BARI Masur-4, V4 = BARI Masur-5, V5 = BARI Masur-6 and V6 = BARI Masur-7) and two levels of zinc (0 and 2 kg ha-1). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Results reveal that growth, yield attributes and yield varied positively by zinc level and variety. Among the varieties, BARI Masur-7 followed by BARI Masur-6 gave the highest seed yield. Interaction of variety and zinc the highest mean seed yield (1568 kg ha-1 at Gazipur, 2396 kg ha-1 at Ishurdy and 1639 kg ha-1 at Jashore) produced by the treatment V6Zn2. The improved protein content (28.5% at Gazipur, 28.9% at Ishurdy and 29% at Jashore) and zinc content (70.2 ppm at Gazipur, 73.6 ppm at Ishurdy and 69.9 ppm at Jashore) was achieved in V6Zn2 treatment. The result, suggest that 2 kg Zn ha-1 could be applied in any lentil variety for quality improvement and yield maximization in terrace and calcareous soils of Bangladesh. The current study recommended conducting another experiment for further monitoring and determining the appropriate Zn dose for lentil production through application of different zinc rates in Zn- deficient soils.