Abstract
Zinc deficiency in crop plants has been recognized as a worldwide nutritional constraint. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with the objective of developing a screening technique to evaluate lowland rice genotypes for zinc use efficiency. Ten lowland (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes were tested at low (0 mg Zn kg-1) and high (10 mg Zn kg-1) zinc levels applied to an Inceptisol. Genotypes differed significantly in grain yield and its components. Based on the grain yield efficiency index, genotypes were classified as efficient and inefficient. The most Zn efficient genotypes were: Metica 1, Epagri 108, CNA 7550, and CNA 8619. The most inefficient genotype was CNA 8319. The moderately efficient genotypes were: Javae, Rio Formoso, CNA 7556, and CNA 7857. The screening method used for Zn use efficiency is simple and does not require plant analysis. This methodology can be used for crop genotype evaluation of mineral stresses, which have direct bearings in genetic studies and breeding programes
Highlights
Zinc deficiency has been reported in various parts of the world in annual crops (Cakmak et al, 1998)
In a global study initiated by FAO, it was shown that about 30% of the cultivated soils of the world are Zn deficient (Sillanpaa, 1982)
In Brazil, zinc deficiency has been widely reported in upland as well as lowland rice (Fageria & Brarbosa Filho, 1994)
Summary
Zinc deficiency has been reported in various parts of the world in annual crops (Cakmak et al, 1998). About 50% of the soils used worldwide for cereal production contain low levels of plant-available Zn (Graham et al, 1992). In Brazil, zinc deficiency has been widely reported in upland as well as lowland rice (Fageria & Brarbosa Filho, 1994). This deficiency is related to low level of zinc in Brazilian highly weathered acid soils as well as high soil pH due to liming (Fageria & Baligar, 1993; Fageria & Gheyi, 1999). The objective of the present study was to develop a methodology for the screening of lowland rice genotypes in relation to Zn use efficiency
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