Vol. 10, Issue 10 (2021)

Author(s):
Samruzzoha Afreen, Arun Kumar, Kumari Punam Sinha, Mukesh Kumar and PK Singh

Abstract:
Iron and zinc defeciency is quite common to rice wheat cropping system of India. Seed priming is one of the key techniques for improvement of crop performances and nutrient enrichment in seed. The study was coducted both for nursery as well as transplanted field in paddy var. Shabhagi Dhan to analyse the influence of paddy seed treated with micronutrients (iron and zinc) on growth and yield. The single seed lot was treated with four graded level of concentration (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%) of ZnSO₄ and FeSO₄ solution at room temperature for 24 hours. The ZnSO₄ (1.0%) recorded highest seedling height, FeSO₄ (2.0%) for seedling biomass while FeSO₄ (0.5%) for zinc concentration and ZnSO₄ (0.5%) recorded highest iron concentration in seedlings during nursery. In transplanted field study seed treatment with FeSO₄ (0.5%) recorded significantly higher number of tillers/m², number of panicle/m² seed yield/m² over control and hydropriming. Treatment with FeSO₄ (2.0%) recorded significant enhancement in number of productive tillers/hills, plant height, panicle length, seed yield/hill, harvest index/hill; however, ZnSO₄ (1.0%) resulted in higher content of iron and zinc content in plant over control and hydropriming.