Impact of zinc on yield, nutrient uptake and soil nutrient status in rainfed pea-maize sequence under high phosphorus regime soils of Northwestern Himalaya

Abstract

Field trials were conducted at the experimental farm of Hill Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Bajaura, Kullu, during kharif (summer crop) and rabi (winter crop) seasons from 2014–2015 to 2015–2016 to investigate the impact of zinc (Zn) on yield, nutrient uptake and soil nutrient status in rainfed pea-maize sequence under high phosphorus regime soils of Northwestern Himalaya. The various priming levels of Zn (water soaking- without zinc, 1%, 2% and 3% of ZnSO₄) with three priming durations (4, 8 and 12 hours) were compared with basal dose of recommended NPK + ZnSO₄ @ 25 kg ha⁻¹ and farmers’ practice (absolute control). The yield of pea crop was maximum with 1% ZnSO₄ priming duration of 12 hours, whereas maize crop yield was highest with 2% ZnSO₄ priming duration of 12 hours. The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) uptake of pea pods and stover was highest with 1% ZnSO₄ priming for 12 hours duration, whereas the N, P and K uptake of maize grains and stover was registered highest with 2% ZnSO₄ priming for a period of 12 hours. The results showed a positive impact on the crop yield and uptake, while no significant improvement was noticed in soil nutrients status after harvest.

Keywords:

• Crop yield
• nutrient uptake
• rainfed
• seed priming
• soil status

Acknowledgments

The authors thank HAREC, Bajaura (Kullu) for field experiments and the Department of Soil Science for laboratory facilities under CSK HPKV, Palampur (H.P.) India. We also thank anonymous reviewers and editors for their valuable comments and suggestions for improving the quality of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.