Vol. 10, Issue 4 (2021)

Author(s):
Sanjeev Singh, Adesh Singh, RB Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, BP Dhyani and LK Gangwar

Abstract:
Field experiment conducted during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2018 and 2019 at Crop Research Centre (Campus), Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Modipuram, Meerut, to evaluate the crop growth rate, yield attributes, yield, profitability and quality of basmati rice varieties as influenced by zinc management practices. In general, among the varieties Pusa Basmati-1121 had the highest CGR, yield attributes and yield, quality and economics which were statistically superior over rest of the varieties during both the years. As compared to Pusa-1401 and Pusa Basmati-1121 about 7.6, 8.7% and 2.6%, 2.1% yield increase was observed in Pusa Basmati-1509 during both the years. On the other hand, the rice grain yield was increased by 9.9% and 10.9% in Pusa Basmati-1121 as compared to Pusa-1401 during 2018 and 2019. The highest test weight (27.4 and 27.3g), biological yield (140.0 and 138.2q/ha), amylose content (24.7 and 24.4%), and grain breadth (279 and 2.79mm) was recorded with Pusa Basmati-1121, while highest panicle length (101.1 and 100.6cm), fertility ratio (4.84 and 4.79) and rough grain length (0.356 and 0.350mm) was noted in Pusa Basmati-1509 during both the years. Pusa-1401 showed the lowest values of growth parameters, yield attributing characters and yield during both the years. Among the zinc management practices, seedling dipping in 2% ZnSO₄ + foliar spray @ 0.5% at T and PI stage was found to be the best for the growth parameters, yield attributes, yield and quality. However, soil applied zinc @ 15kg/ha also proved to be second best in this regard, besides the maximum net return/rupee investment.