Effect of zinc and farmyard manure on yield of rice-based cropping systems

Zinc (Zn) deficiency and low soil fertility are major limiting factors affecting productivity in rice-based cropping systems. To address these constraints, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of zinc and farmyard manure (FYM) on crop yields under two cropping sequences: Rice-Wheat-Sorghum (R-W-S) and Rice-Mustard-Moong (R-M-M). The experiment included five treatments: Control (no Zn or FYM), 10 kg Zn/ha, 10 kg Zn/ha + 5 t FYM/ha, 10 t FYM/ha, and 10 kg Zn/ha + 10 t FYM/ha, applied under different fertility levels (Low, Medium, High). Results demonstrated that the integrated application of Zn and FYM, particularly 10 kg Zn/ha + 10 t FYM/ha, significantly enhanced both grain and straw yields across all crops and fertility levels. Among the cropping sequences, the R-W-S system exhibited higher responsiveness to nutrient management compared to R-M-M. The study also showed that the sole application of FYM or Zn improved yields moderately, but the combination had a synergistic effect, highlighting the importance of integrated nutrient management (INM) in enhancing soil fertility and crop productivity. These findings suggest that judicious use of Zn along with organic amendments can sustainably improve yields in rice-based cropping systems, particularly in Zn-deficient and low-fertility soils.