Direct and Residual Effect of Sulphur and Zinc on Potato-Boro-T. Aman Rice Cropping Pattern

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) sub-staion, Tajhat, Ranpure, using potato-Boro-T. aman rice cropping pattern with an objective to evaluate the direct and residual effects of sulphur and zinc on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake by the crops. The surface soil was sandy loam texture, pH 6.3, organic matter 1.24%, available sulphur 6.62 ppm and available zinc 0.45 ppm. The experiment comprised of eight treatments for potato S₁₅Zn₂ (T₂, T₄ and T₈, S₈Zn₁ (T₅ and T₆)and S₀Zn₀ (T₁, T₃ and T₇), for boro rice S₂₀Zn₄ (T₃, T₅, T₆ and T₇) and S₀Zn₀ (T₁, T₃, T₄ and T₆). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Average tuber yield of potato (var. cardinal) varied from 28.29 to 32.86 t ha^-1 with the highest yield in S₁₅Zn₂ treatment (100% recommended dose) and the lowest was in the S₀Zn₀ treatment (control). In the second crop (Boro rice), growth and yield attributes, grain and straw yields responded significantly to S and Zn applied either in the first crop or in both crops. The average grain yield varied from 3.51 to 5.27 t ha^-1 over the treatments. In the third crop (T. aman rice), the grain and straw yields responded significantly to S and Zn applied either in the first and second crop or in the third crops. The grain yield of T. aman rice varied from 2.96 to 4.46 t ha^-1 over the treatments. The growth and yield contributing characters were also significantly influenced by the treatment. There was a significant direct and residual effect of the treatments on S and Zn uptake by the crops.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pa.v19i1.16987

Progress. Agric. 19(1): 33 - 38, 2008