Effect of Iron and Zinc Application on Yield, Content and Uptake of Nutrients of Pearl Millet

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2019 at the farm of the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, to evaluate the effects of iron and zinc application on the yield, nutrient content, and nutrient uptake of pearl millet. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with eight treatments and three replications. The treatments included an absolute control, the recommended dose of fertiliser, soil applications of FeSO₄ or ZnSO₄, a combined soil application of FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄, and foliar applications of FeSO₄, ZnSO₄, or their combination at 30 and 45 days after sowing. The highest grain yield of 28.89 q ha⁻¹ and stover yield of 61.31 q ha⁻¹ were recorded with the recommended dose of fertiliser plus the soil application of 25 kg ha⁻¹ FeSO₄ and 25 kg ha⁻¹ ZnSO₄. This treatment also recorded higher nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc contents and uptake in grain and stover than the other treatments. The combined foliar application of FeSO₄ and ZnSO₄ also improved yield and nutrient uptake compared with the recommended dose of fertiliser alone. The results indicate that the combined soil application of iron and zinc with the recommended fertiliser dose may improve pearl millet yield and nutrient accumulation under the experimental conditions.