2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 12

author(s)
BR Yankam, NJ Danawale, SS Ilhe, AG Durgude, MR Patil, PS Bodake, BR Jadhav, DP Shinde and SA Raut

abstract
A field investigation entitled, “Effect of zinc and iron biofortification on growth and yield of rabi sorghum” was conducted during rabi season of 2023-2024 at the Instructional farm of PGI, MPKV, Rahuri, Dist. Ahilyanagar (Maharashtra). The soil of experimental field was low in available nitrogen (189.67 kg ha^-1), medium in phosphorus (17.89 kg ha^-1) and moderately high in potassium (378.51 kg ha^-1). The field experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. There were nine treatments viz., T₁: Absolute control, T₂: RDF (80:40:40 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1), T₃: GRDF (80:40:40 N:P₂O₅:K₂O kg ha^-1 + FYM 5 t ha^-1), T₄: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1, T₅: GRDF + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1, T₆: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1, T₇: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe, T₈: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn, T₉: GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn.Among the different treatments, treatment (T₉) involving the application of GRDF along with soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn exhibited significantly higher plant height (294.29 cm), number of leaves plant^-1 (9.39) and dry matter plant^-1 (180.67 g) at harvest as compared to rest of nutrient management treatments during rabi, 2023-24. This treatment was found significant but at par with treatment (T₇) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe. However, this is followed by treatment (T₈) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn. The sorghum crop fertilized with treatment (T₉) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn exhibited significantly higher yield attributing characters viz., earhead length (23.26 cm), earhead weight (91.28 g), weight of grain earhead^-1 (73.48 g), 1000 grain weight (33.57 g), grain yield (3781 kg ha^-1) and stover yield (8408 kg ha^-1) than other nutrient management treatments during investigation. This treatment was found significant but at par with treatment (T₇) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Fe. However, this is followed by treatment (T₈) involving the application of GRDF + Soil application of FeSO₄ @ 25 kg ha^-1 + Soil application of ZnSO₄ @ 20 kg ha^-1 + Foliar application of 0.2% chelated Zn.