A RESEARCH REPORT ON: Effects of Zinc on variety performance in terms of Yield and Yield Attributing Characters of Rice at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar Principal Researcher Mr. Amit Raj Adhikari R & D Manager Soil Scientist Karma Enterprises Pvt. Ltd E-mail: soilscience@karmagroups.com Conducted by Karma Enterprises Pvt.Ltd Sitapaila-4, Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel.: 01-4033505, Fax: 977-1-4033506 E-mail:info@karmagroups.com March 2015 1
1. Introduction Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a member of the Poaceae family. There are two species of cultivated rice viz. Oryza glaberrima and Oryza sativa. O. glaberrima originates from West Africa and is presently only grown near its center of origin, while O. sativa, which is originally from Asia, is grown on all continents (Khus, 1997). Rice is the major cereal crop of Nepal. It is grown in all the three major ecological regions accounting 69.64%, 26.17% and 4.20% of total rice cultivated areas in Terai & Inner Terai, Hills and Mountains respectively (MOAD, 2010). Rice occupies the first place in term of area and total production. In 2011/12, rice covered area of 15, 31,493 ha, with production of 50, 72,248 metric tons and the productivity of 3.31 t ha-1 (MoAD, 2012). The lower foot plains and river valleys are main areas for growing this rice in Nepal. Area and productivity of rice shows that from 1961 to 2009, rice yields grew only by 36 kg/ha per year. This is a negligible increase of rice yields when compared with the increased NPK use in Nepal. Zinc is found to be one of the essential nutrients that have to be supplied from the external source to improve the productivity of rice. In most of the experiments in south east area foliar application of zinc has improved the effective tiller, thousand grain weight and yield of rice (paroda, et al., 1994). Zinc has also been found to assist crop in stress bearing capacity as well as to improve the disease resistant capacity of the crop (Pande et al., 2006). Anderson in his review work of 2011 clearly suggested that zinc is one of the deficient nutrients in the soil of Nepal after boron. So it is indispensible to apply the soil as either soil or foliar application to increase the productivity of crops. Balance use of fertilizer focusing on micronutrients specifically the use of zinc is the best way to improve soil fertility and rice productivity from sustainable point of view. So with the objective of assessing the impact of zinc in rice productivity, research trial was set up in karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar. 2. Materials and method 2.1. Research sites The whole field experiments were conducted on Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar, Chitwan, Nepal, from June 2014 to November 2014. The site lies in the sub-tropical zone with an altitude of 250 masl, between 27 36 N latitude and 84 16 E longitude. 2.2 Soil properties Composite soil sample was taken from the land with the help of auger before land preparation at 0-20cm depth. The soil was dried, ground, sieved and chemical and physical properties were analyzed at the Soil Science Division under NARC, Khumaltar. The detail of the soil analysis is presented in Table 1. The soil was sandy loam with slightly acidic ph and medium in organic matter and nitrogen content and medium in phosphorous and potash content. 2
Table 1. Physio-chemical properties of soil, Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar, Chitwan Property Content Method Soil ph 6.4 1:1 soil water ratio Soil organic matter (%) 3.09 Walkley and Black method Nitrogen (%) 0.13 Micro- kjeldahl method Phosphorus (kg/ha) 63 Modified Olsens Bicarbonate method Potash (kg/ha) 208 Flame Photometer method Texture Sandy Loam The textural triangle 2.3 Raising of seedlings in nursery Seeds of Hejia G-10 (Hybrid rice) and Mansuli (Open pollinated variety) were sown on dry nursery bed on June 2014. No chemical fertilizers were applied on nursery bed. The age of seedlings was 30 days during transplanting which was done on July 2014. 2.3 Field Layout The field experiment was conducted in split plot design. Two varieties; one hybrid Hajia G-10 and next open pollinated (Mansuli) was taken as main plot and five different doses of excellent zinc as sub plot treatments and each treatment was replicated three times. Each plot was of 3m 3m dimension. After this concern fertilizer were used in each plot and transplanting of 1 seedlings/ hill in 15 rows was done at 20cm 20cm spacing. Altogether there were 225 hills in each plot. The layout of experimental field and treatments detail are presented in figure 1 and table 2 respectively. Figure 1 (a): Field layout 3
Figure 1 (b): Individual plot Layout Table 2: Treatment details for first trial Treatment Combinations Mansuli Zn 0 ml L-1 T1 Mansuli Zn 1 ml L-1 T2 Mansuli Zn 2 ml L-1 T3 Mansuli Zn 3 ml L-1 T4 Mansuli Zn 4 ml L-1 T5 G-10 Zn 0 ml L-1 T6 G-10 Zn 1 ml L-1 T7 G-10 Zn 2 ml L-1 T8 G-10 Zn 3 ml L-1 T9 G-10 Zn 4 ml L-1 T10 Note: Zinc was applied as foliar application in each concern treatment first at 15 DAT, second at 25 DAT and third at 40 DAT 4
2.4 Sampling and observation 2.4.1 Plant height The final plant height was recorded at harvest. Height was measured from base of plant to panicle tip. 2.4.2 Number of effective tillers Net plot area of 1 m2 of each plot was harvested to record the number of effective tiller which comprises of 25 hills. 2.4.3 Panicle length The panicle length of 5 panicle/ treatment was measured from the base (neck node) to the terminal spikelet using centimeter scale at maturity. 2.4.4 Thousand grain weight After harvesting the grains from each plot were dried separately and 1000 grains from each plot were randomly counted and weighed using electronic balance 2.4.5 Grain yield and straw yield per plot For calculating grain yield, first of all 1m2 area of each plot were harvested and threshed separately, then grain were sun dried and actual weight was calculated at 12 % moisture level with the help of moisture meter and weighing electric balance and straw yield by weighing with electronic balance. (100-Moisture Content)* Plot yield (kg)*10-1 Grain yield (t ha ) at 12% moisture= (100-12)* Net plot area (m2) 3. Results and discussion 3.1 Effect on plant height and panicle length There was significant difference in plant height between two varieties and maximum plant height of 129.6 cm at harvest was recorded in G-10. Whereas there was no such significant difference in length of panicle. However maximum panicle length (24.1cm) was recorded again in variety Hajia G-10. Different doses of excellent zinc did not brought any significant difference in both plant height bas well as panicle length (Table 3). Maximum plant height (121.2 cm) and length of panicle (24.2 cm) were recorded in plot supplied with 4 ml of excellent zinc. Meanwhile the shortest panicle (23.7cm) and plant height (119 cm) was recorded in the control plot. These results suggest that zinc plays important role in both increasing plant height and length of panicle. 5
Table 3: Effects of different doses of Excellent zinc on plant height and panicle length of rice at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar, Chitwan (June 2014-Nov 2014) Treatments Variety G-10 Mansuli (OP) Excellent zinc Control 1ml/L 2ml/L 3ml/L 4ml/L C.V. Plant height Panicle length 129.6a 110.7b 3.16 24.13 23.67 119.0 119.7 120.0 120.8 121.2 4.99 2.18 23.7 23.8 23.8 24.0 24.2 1.03 3.07 3.3 Effect on effective tiller and thousand grain weights There was significant difference in both; number of effective tiller in one meter square area and weight of thousand grains (Table 4). Significantly higher number of effective tiller 163 and thousand grain weight (29.29gm) was recorded in variety Hajia G-10. Greater number of effective tiller in hybrid variety is due to its prolific tiller producing capacity. Table 6: Effects of different doses of Excellent zinc on number of effective tiller/m 2, thousand grain weight of rice at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar (June 2014-Nov 2014) Treatments Variety G-10 Mansuli (OP) Excellent zinc Control 1ml/L 2ml/L 3ml/L 4ml/L C.V. effective tiller/m2 thousand grain weight (gm) 163a 140b 7.92 29.29a 19.84b 0.58 140b 149b 152ab 154ab 163a 4.17 2.18 24.02b 24.37b 24.43ab 24.63ab 25.37a 0.92 3.07 6
Different doses of excellent zinc did brought significant difference in number of effective tiller as well as weight of thousand grains. Significantly highest number of effective tiller (163) and maximum weight of thousand grains (25.37 gm) was recorded in plot receiving 4 ml excellent zinc whereas only 140 effective tiller and minimum weight of thousand grains (24.02 gm) were recorded in control plot. This outcome shows that zinc is valuable nutrient to increase the vegetative growth and number of tiller as well as improving the boldness of grain. Table 5: Effects of different doses of Excellent zinc on grain and straw yield of rice at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar (June 2014-Nov 2014) Treatments Variety G-10 Mansuli (OP) Excellent zinc Control 1ml/L 2ml/L 3ml/L 4ml/L C.V. Grain yield (t ha-1) Straw yield (t ha-1) 6.18a 4.21b 0.29 9.89a 7.12b 0.56 4.82b 5.01b 5.14b 5.26b 5.71a 0.45 2.18 7.57b 8.53b 8.53b 8.45b 9.47a 0.89 2.18 There was significant difference in both; grain yield and straw yield between two varieties (Table 5). Significantly highest grain (6.18 t ha-1) and straw yield (9.79 t ha-1) were recorded in hybrid variety Hajia G-10. Higher grain yield in hybrid rice is due to increase in number of yield attributing parameters like length of panicle, number of effective tiller and weight of thousand grains. Foliar application of different doses of excellent zinc also brought significant difference in both grain and straw yield. Significantly maximum grain (5.71 t ha-1) and straw yield (9.47 t ha-1) were recorded in the plot receiving 4 ml excellent zinc, whereas lowest grain (4.82 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.57 t ha-1) were recorded in control plot. This result showed that with increase in dose of excellent zinc, length of panicle, number of effective tiller and weight of thousand grains also increased ultimately increasing the grain yield. 7
Grain and strwa yield (t ha-1) Grain yield (t ha-1) 12.00 Straw yield (t ha-1) 11.29 9.71 10.00 10.05 9.90 8.51 8.00 6.00 7.34 5.59 6.47 6.09 5.95 6.78 6.64 4.05 4.00 4.21 4.07 7.65 7.16 6.84 4.65 4.04 2.00 0.00 Treatments combination Figure 2: Effects of different doses of Excellent zinc on grain and straw yield of rice at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar (June 2014-Nov 2014) Table 6: Economic analysis of rice production at Karma R & D Center, Jyotinagar Treatments Cost of production (USD/ha) Return USD/ha Net return USD/ha B:C ratio A B A+B 102 182 264 348 430 570 570 570 570 570 672 752 832 912 992 1180 1296 1360 1450 1570 508 544 528 538 578 1.75 1.72 1.63 1.58 1.58 102 182 264 348 430 550 550 550 550 550 652 732 812 892 972 900 1020 1080 1150 1270 248 288 268 258 298 1.38 1.39 1.33 1.28 1.30 G-10 Control NPK+ EZ (1ml) NPK+ EZ (2ml) NPK+ EZ (3ml) NPK+ EZ (4ml) Mansuli Control NPK+ EZ (1ml) NPK+ EZ (2ml) NPK+ EZ (3ml) NPK+ EZ (4ml) Note: Cost A (Fertilizer + excellent zinc cost) Cost B (Seed+ land preparation+ transplanting+ intercultural operation+ Chemicals+ harvesting + Threshing) Economic analysis of rice production sowed that in both hybrid and open pollinated varieties, application of excellent zinc increased the net return. 8
4. Conclusion The above field experiments were conducted with the assumption that use of excellent zinc will increase the yield of rice significantly and the result was in accordance with assumption. The result clearly indicated that on increasing concentration of excellent zinc, yield also was increasing significantly and the highest yield was recorded in plot where 4 ml of foliar application of excellent zinc was done. This result clearly showed that zinc is important micronutrient for rice production thus farmers should be recommended to use this as the source of liquid fertilizer. Furthermore, around 2 ton higher yield was recorded in hybrid rice suggesting that to increase the rice yield farmer should start to look forward to use the high yielding varieties of rice such as Hajia G-10. Acknowledgement My special thanks go to Mr. Suresh Gurung, the Managing Director of Karma Enterprises Pvt.Ltd for his continuous support during the research work. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Somchai, Global Marketing Manager of Napnutriscience for providing valuable suggestions regarding the trial details. Similarly I can t stop myself form appreciating the helping hand of Research and development team, senior marketing executive of Karma Enterprises. 9
14