Studies on time of application of zinc in transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.) for improving growth and yield parameters

A field experiment was conducted to study the time of application of zinc in transplanted rice during kharif - 2023 at ZARS, V. C. Farm, Mandya. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with eleven treatments replicated thrice. The treatments comprised of zinc sulphate @ 10, 15 and 20 kg ha^-1 applied each at 10, 20 and 30 DAT, these nine treatments were compared with zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^-1 as basal application and control (without zinc sulphate). The results revealed that zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^‑1 applied either at 10 or 20 or at 30 DAT was recorded higher growth and yield parameters at harvest, higher plant height (102.13 cm), number of tillers m^-2 (416.00), total dry matter accumulation (77.72 g hill^-1), number of panicles m^-2 (375.00), grains panicle^-1 (168.53), grain (6673 to 6797 kg ha^-1) and straw yield (7745 to 7835 kg ha^-1), harvest index (0.46%), net returns (84623 to 87596 Rs. ha^-1) and B:C ratio (2.00 to 2.04) was also recorded higher in the above treatments. Further, all these parameters recorded in the former treatments were statistically comparable to zinc sulphate @ 20 kg ha^-1 as basal application.