Effect of Zinc application on soil properties and uptake of nutrients by wheat grown on calcareous soil

The present field experiment was conducted at PGI, Research Farm. Department of Soil Science and Agril. Chemistry, M.P.K.V., Rahuri, during the Rabi 2016-17. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replication and nine treatments. The treatment comprised of T1: Absolute control, T2: General recommended dose of fertilizer 120:60:40 kg ha-1 N: P2O5:K2O + 10 t FYM ha-1, T3: GRDF with soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1, T4: GRDF with 120 kg N through zinc coated urea + 60:40 P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 + 10 t ha-1 FYM, T5: GRDF with soil application of cow dung slurry with ZnSO4, T6: GRDF with soil application of 100 kg FYM + ZnSO4 @20kgha-1, T7: GRDF with seed coating treatment of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1, T8: GRDF with seed coating treatment of chelated Zn EDTA and T9: GRDF with seed treatment of zinc solubilizing bacteria + soil application of zinc sulphate @ 20kgha-1. The results of investigation revealed that the application of different methods of zinc in soil was influenced the soil properties. The available nutrients N,P and K at harvest were found to be significantly increased due to treatment of GRDF +soil application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1 with 100 kg FYM incubated for one week and treatment of GRDF+soil application of cow dung slurry with ZnSO4 @ 20 kgha-1. Total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by wheat crop were found to be significantly higher (138, 36 and 88 kgha-1 respectively) in treatment of application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1 incubated with FYM for one week along with GRDF however, it was at par with treatment of application of ZnSO4 @ 20kgha-1 with cow dung slurry @500 Lha-1 at 30 DAS through irrigation along with GRDF. Total uptake of iron, zinc, manganese and copper were found to be significantly higher (5177, 570, 1889 and 192 gha-1 respectively) in treatment of GRDF+application of ZnSO4@ 20kgha-1 incubated with FYM for one week. Therefore, based on above findings, soil application of 100 kg FYM + ZnSO4 @20 kgha-1 incubated for one week or soil application of cow dung slurry with ZnSO4@20 kgha-1 (1:4) @500Lha-1 at 30 DAS through irrigation along with the general recommended dose of fertilizer (120:60:40 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha-1 + 10 t ha-1 FYM) to wheat was found beneficial for increase in total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese and copperin wheat grown on medium deep black calcareous soil.