PJB-2024-392
Zinc Biofortification of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) Cultivars through Root and Foliar Zinc Fertilization
MD. ABDUL AWAL
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) deficiency in soil limits proper crop growth and yield, and bio-available zinc content in produced food stuffs as required to human nutrition for proper physiological functioning and development. So, Zn bio-availability is to be enhanced in food crops through suitable methods where agronomic approach could give a short term solution. A two-year’s field investigation was conducted with eight mungbean varieties where BARI Mug-5, BARI Mug-6, BARI Mug-7 and BARI Mug-8 varieties were evaluated during 2023 year, and BARI Mug-2, BARI Mug-3, BARI Mug-4 and BINA Mug-8 varieties were evaluated during 2024. Each year’s experiment comprised four treatments viz. no Zn (control), soil Zn with 5 kg Zn ha-1, foliar Zn with spraying of 1% aqueous Zn solution on crop foliage at 35 and 50 days after seed sowing, and soil Zn + foliar Zn applications. Plant growth, yield traits and grain yield, and grain Zn contents of all eight varieties of mungbean were significantly enhanced by Zn treatments. Application of root (soil) Zn was responsible for higher grain yield, while foliage Zn application was beneficial for Zn increment in mungbean grain. Irrespective of the mungbean varieties, the grain Zn enrichments obtained for soil Zn, foliar Zn, and soil Zn plus foliar Zn applications were respectively about 13, 24 and 34% higher during 2023, and 16, 30 and 41% higher during 2024 year than that at control. Mean across the Zn treatments, the BARI Mug-3 variety exhibited higher amount of grain Zn followed by the BARI Mug-2 or BARI Mug-6 while lower grain Zn content was observed in BARI Mug-4 variety followed by the BARI Mug-8 variety. A combine zinc application both in root and foliage played a complementary role for ensuring higher grain yield in one hand and the greater Zn content in produced grains on the other.
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