Influence of Varieties and Foliar Application of Zinc on Growth, Yield and Economics of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2022 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology And Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P) to determine the “Influence of Varieties and Foliar application of Zinc on Growth , Yield and Economics of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)”. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.8), low level of organic carbon (0.62%), available N (225 Kg/ha), P (38.2 kg/ha) and K (240.7 kg/ha) and the treatments consisted of 3 different Zinc viz. (0.5%), (1.5%) and (2.5%) with combination of 3 Varieties viz. BPT5204, RNR15048, and KNM118. The experiment was laid out in RBD with 9 treatments each replicated thrice The results showed that treatment 9 [BPT5204+ Zinc(2.5%)] recorded significantly higher plant height (113.77 cm), , maximum number of tillers/hill (12.80), higher plant dry weight (54.13g),maximum number of effective tillers/hill (12.50) ,maximum number of panicles/plant (10.20),maximum number of grains/panicle (104.70), higher test weight (18.70 g), higher grain yield (5.81 t/ha), maximum straw yield (5.92 t/ha) and higher harvest index (50.19 %) compare to other treatment. The maximum gross returns (1,62,773.00 INR/ha), net return (1,10,546.50 INR/ha) and highest benefit cost ratio of (2.12) was recorded.