Effect of Zinc Fertilizer Application on Growth Yield and Yield Contributing Characters in Rice

Field experiment was carried out at the field of Department of Agronomy, BSMRAU campus, Gazipur, of Bangladesh during aman season (July-October) of 2017 to study the effect of zinc fertilizer application on growth, yield and zinc partitioning in three rice varieties: (BRRI dhan 56, BRRI dhan 57 and BRRI dhan 62) at three levels of zinc fertilization, no application of zinc, 10and 20 kg Zn ha-1. The highest leaf area indices of 3.15 in BRRI dhan 56, and 3.27 in BRRI dhan 57 were recorded with the application of 10 kg Zn ha-1 at 75 DAT and 3.28 in BRRI dhan 62 with 20 kg Zn ha-1. Through the growth period the SPAD value was the maximum at 10 kg Zn ha-1 in BRRI dhan 56 and BRRI dhan 57 and in BRRI dhan 62 at 20 kg Zn ha-1. The highest CGR, RGR, NAR were recorded at 10 kg Zn ha-1 in BRRI dhan 56 and BRRI dhan 57, and at 20 kg ha-1 in BRRI dhan 62.Zinc fertilizer at 10 kg Zn ha-1significantly increased the number of effective tiller m-2, length of panicle, total number of spikelet’s panicle-1,1000-grain weight, number of filled spikelet’s panicle-1, grain yield and straw yield in BRRI dhan 56 and BRRI dhan 57, and at 20 kg Zn ha-1 in BRRI dhan 62. It was revealed that the rice varieties BRRI dhan 56 and BRRI dhan 57 responded to the application of 10 kg Zn ha-1, while BRRI dhan 62 to 20 kg Zn ha-1.Overall results indicates, application of zinc might be necessary to ensure satisfactory yield.