Growth and Zinc Uptake and Use Efficiency in Food Crops

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) deficiency in annual crops is very common in Brazilian Oxisols. Data are limited on Zn uptake and use efficiency during crop growth cycles. A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive years with the objective to determine shoot dry weight and Zn uptake and use efficiency in upland rice, dry bean, corn, and soybean during growth cycles. Shoot dry weight of four crops was significantly increased in an exponential quadratic fashion with increasing plant age. Rice and corn had higher shoot dry weights and grain yields than dry bean and soybean. Zinc concentration in rice and corn decreased in a quadratic fashion with increasing plant age. However, in dry bean and soybean, Zn concentration had a quadratic increase. Zinc uptake followed an exponential quadratic response in four crops, and it was higher in corn and upland rice than in dry bean and soybean. Zinc use efficiency in shoot dry‐weight production had significant quadratic responses in upland rice and soybean with increasing plant age. In corn, Zn use efficiency for shoot dry‐weight production was linear as a function of plant age. Zinc use efficiency for grain production was maximum for corn and minimum for soybean. Hence, cereals had higher Zn use efficiency than legumes. Zinc concentration in grain of dry bean and soybean was higher than in upland rice and corn, which is a desirable quality factor for human consumption so as to avoid Zn deficiency.