The effect of foliar application of zinc (Zn) on yield and yield components of irrigated wheat cultivars in ahvaz weather conditions

Abstract

Lack of access to the soil zinc particularly in calcareous areas with high PH is one of the factors reducing the wheat yield. Therefore, in order to investigate the effect of zinc (Zn) on the growth, yield, and yield components of three wheat cultivars, a split plot experiment in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out in Hamidiyeh, Ahvaz in 2011-2012. The main plot consisted of foliar application of four levels of zinc fertilizer at stem elongation stage including (without zinc consumption, 0.001 zinc per hectare, 0.003 zinc per hectare, 0.005 zinc per hectare) and the sub plot included three irrigated wheat cultivars (Chamran, Falat, Star). The results indicated that the studied wheat cultivars were significantly different in terms of grain yield at 5% probability level. Chamran cultivar had the highest number of spike per area unit, number of grains per spike, number of spikelet per spike, 1000-grain weight, and consequently the highest grain yield by 4740.83 kg/ha and the lowest grain yield belonged to the Star cultivar by 3700.83 kg/ha. The effect of foliar application of zinc fertilizer on the grain yield was not significant. However, application of 0.005 zinc per hectare (412 kg/ha) increased the grain yield in comparison to the control treatment. Furthermore, the foliar application of zinc had a significant effect on protein percentage and zinc concentration in grain at 1% level. The wheat cultivars were significantly different in terms of the grain zinc concentration at 1% level. The highest and the lowest concentrations of grain zinc respectively belonged to Chamran and Star cultivars. It seems that foliar application of zinc fertilizer had an effective role in increasing the concentration of grain zinc which was followed by the increase of grain yield. Moreover, wheat cultivars had different reactions to the foliar application of zinc and the cultivars with positive reaction to zinc can be used in lands with zinc deficiency.