Nutrient Content, Uptake and Biochemical Composition in Kharif Sorghum Affected by Soil and Foliar Zinc and Iron in Drought Prone Marathwada Area of Maharashtra

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during kharif 2011 to study the responseof kharif sorghum to soil and foliar application of micronutrient zinc and iron at Sorghum Research Station, V.N. Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 10 treatments and three replications. Results revealed that zinc sulphate and ferrous sulphate micronutrient through soil and foliar application along with recommended dose of NPK fertilizers resulted in improvement of kharif sorghum grain and fodder yield. Quality parameters like crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, moisture content, starch, soluble sugar, ash content, approximate calorific value of grain and crude protein, dietary fiber, ash, organic matter, ether extract, nitrogen free extract of fodder were also improved due to soil and foliar application of micronutrients along with RDF. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration in sorghum fodder was markedly increased by application of RDF along with micronutrients. The treatment T7 i.e. RDF + soil application of 15 kg ZnSO4 + 15 kg FeSO4/ha recorded highest % N(0.65), % P (0.49)and % K (0.82)in fodder, whereas highest N, P and K in harvested grainswas noted as1.55, 0.88 and 0.41kg/ha, respectively. Total uptake of major nutrients was also recorded as nitrogen (50.79 kg/ha), phosphorus (31.85 kg/ha) and potassium (32.29 kg/ha).