Effect of Methods of Establishment and Zinc Management on Growth and Yield of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The field experiment was conducted at Shradhay Bhagwati Singh Agriculture Research Farm (Hajipur), Chandra Bhanu Gupta Krishi Snatkottar Mahavidyalaya, B.K.T., Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) during Kharif (rainy) season in 2023-24. The treatment consisted of three methods of establishment (M1 – Direct seeding in lines after pre-irrigation, M2 -Broadcast of sprouted seed on puddled soil , M3 – System of Rice intensification (SRI) of (25 x 25cm) 12 days old seedling.) and five Zinc management practices (Zn0- Without zinc (control), Zn1- Zinc Sulphate ZnSo4@20kg ha-1 (Basal), Zn2- Foliar spray of Zn@0.5% at tillering and panicle initiation stage, Zn3- Seedling dipping in 2% ZnSO4+ 2 Foliar of Zn@0.5% at tillering and Panicle stage, Zn4- Seedling dipping in 2 % ZnSO4 solution+ Foliar spray of Zn@0.2% at tillering and panicle initiation stage) were tested in split-plot design with 3 replications. The Experimental site was silty loam having medium organic carbon (0.70%) and available nitrogen (270 kg ha-1), phosphorous (27 kg ha-1) and Potassium (262 kg ha1). All the growth parameters, yield attributes, yield, Zinc content and uptake of Zn into grains and straw, were increased significantly with SRI method (M3) followed by direct seeding in Lines after pre-irrigation (M2). Amongst zinc management, all the growth parameters and yield attributes of rice were maximum under Seedling dipping in 2% ZnSO4+ 2 Foliar of Zn@0.5% at tillering and panicle initiation stage, followed by Seedling dipping in 2 % ZnSO4 solution+ Foliar spray of Zn@0.2% at tillering and panicle initiation stage the maximum gross income of Rs 158938.18 ha-1 was accrued with (SRI method + T4) treatment combination. However, a combination of SRI method along with T3 treatment accrued the maximum net profit of Rs 107981.21 ha-1 and benefit: cost ratio of 2.08 which was followed by a combination of SRI method along with T4 with net income of Rs 107234.99 ha-1 and benefit cost ratio of 2.07.