Vol. 9, Issue 10 (2020)

Author(s):
Asit Kumar Pal, Bitish Kumar Nayak, Maha Vir Singh and Bijoy Kumar Pany

Abstract:
Zinc deficiency to crop yield results in low concentration of zinc in grain for which malnutrition of human being occurs and it is major nutritional problem in rice consuming countries. Growing zinc efficient cultivars represent long term solution for sustainable approach to crop production. Twenty diverse rice genotypes were tested in a field experiment of alluvial soils of Odisha, at three levels of Zn (0,20kgha-1 and 20kgha-1 +0.5% ZnSO₄ sprayed twice at pre-flowering and booting stage) with the objective of developing a screening technique to evaluate the rice genotypes for zinc use efficiency. Genotypes differed significantly in grain yield. Grain yield efficiency Index is the best tools to categorize the genotypes into efficient and non-efficient groups. The relative grain yield ie. Zn efficiency index from 98.0 to 54.0 percent and relative grain Zn uptake ie. Zn efficiency from 77.0 to 34.0% were found among the genotypes. On the basis of grain yield and Zn efficiency, genotypes are classified on efficient and responsive (Daya, Gajapati, Udaya, Pusa 44, Kharbela, IR64, 1009, IR36 and Surendra), efficient and non-responsive (Jajati, MTU1010 and Monoswani), Inefficient and responsive (Lalata and Pratiskha), Inefficient and non-responsive (Satabdi, Tapaswani, Sebati, samba masuri, Jaiphula and Leelabati). From practical point of view, genotypes that produce high grain yield at low level of Zn and responsive well to Zn addition are most desirable because they able to express their high potential in a wide range of Zn availability.