Screening of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes for zinc efficiency in Inceptisols of Odisha

Abstract

Zinc deficiency in crop has been recognized as world wise nutritional constraint. Zinc is important micronutrient for plant growth and nutrition of human being. Short supply of zinc to crops yield results in low concentration in grain for which malnutrition of human being occurs, those depends on rice based diet mainly in developing countries. Growing zinc efficient cultivars represent long term solution for sustainable approach to crop production. Twenty diverse rice genotypes were tested in a field experiment of Inceptisols of Odisha, at three levels of Zn (0,20kgha-1 and 20kgha-1 +0.5% ZnSO4 sprayed twice at pre-flowering and booting stage) with the objective of developing a screening technique to evaluate the rice genotypes for zinc use efficiency. Genotypes differed significantly in grain yield. Grain yield efficiency Index is the best tools to categorize the genotypes into efficient and non-efficient groups. The relative grain yield ie. Zn efficiency index from 96.7 to 76.2 percent and relative grain Zn uptake ie. Zn efficiency from 91.4 to 68.3% among the genotypes. On the basis of grain yield and Zn efficiency, genotypes are classified on efficient and responsive (Swarna, IR 64,Vanaprava, Lalata, Gajapati and Ranidhan), efficient and non responsive (Prachi, Samba masuri, Kharbela, Sarala, Monoswani, Swarna masuri and Jajati), Inefficient and responsive (Birupa, Banki and CR1030), Inefficient and non responsive (IR 36, Suphala, Ghanteswari and Rudra). From practical point of view, genotypes that produce high grain yield at low level of Zn and responsive well to Zn addition are most desirable because they able to express their high potential in a wide range of Zn availability.