Impact of Zinc Fertilization on Yield, Yield Attributes and Quality Parameters of Finger Millet Varieties under Rainfed alfisols of Southern Zone, Andhra Pradesh

Aims: To study the effect of zinc fertilization through soil and foliar at different stages of finger millet on yield, yield attributes and quality in two major finger millet varieties under rainfed alfisols of southern zone, Andhra Pradesh

Study Design: Split-plot design

Place and Duration of Study: Wetland farm, S.V Agricultural College, Tirupati and during kharif season of 2019 and 2020 (Two seasons)

Methodology: Zinc fertilization to two major finger millet varieties viz., Vakula and Tirumala through soil and foliar application at different crop stages with following treatments viz., Control (No fertilizers and manures); RDF (60 -30-20 kg N-P-K + FYM @ 4 t ha-1); RDF + soil application of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1 as basal; RDF+Soil application of chelated-ZnSO4 @ 5 kg ha-1; RDF+foliar application of 0.2% ZnSO4 at ear head emergence stage; RDF+foliar application of 0.2% ZnSO4 at grain filling stage; and RDF+foliar application of 0.2% ZnSO4 at ear head emergence and grain filling stage. The yield, yield attributes and quality parameters viz., protein, zinc and iron content in grains were determined by adopting standard protocols.

Results: The application of zinc significantly (p<0.05) improved the yield and quality parameters over control. The foliar application of 0.2% ZnSO4 at ear head emergence and grain filling stage was significantly (p≤0.05) improved the yield and yield attributes of finger millet over RDF. The grain yield, straw yield, no. of productive tillers per plant, no. of fingers per plant were increased to 57.0%, 83.2%, 44.6% and 51.7%, respectively over RDF i.e., 60-30-20 kg N-P-K + FYM @ 4 t ha-1. The quality parameters namely protein, grain zinc and iron also increased up to 40.7%, 69.5% and 43.2%, respectively over RDF.

Conclusion: Application of zinc sulphate at ear head emergence and grain filling stages enhanced the yield, yield parameters and quality parameters compared to other treatments of tirumala variety under rainfed alfisols of southern zone of Andhra Pradesh.