RESPONSE OF RICE (ORYZA-SATIVA) TO DIFFERENT ZINC SOURCES AND THEIR RESIDUAL EFFECT ON SUCCEEDING CHICKPEA (CICER-ARIETINUM)

In a 2-year experiment the pooled data showed that irrespective of sources, 4 kg Zn/ha directly to rice (Oryza sativa L.) and subsequently to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) significantly improved the grain and straw yields of both the crops in rotation compared with the control. All inorganic zinc sources proved their superiority to single application of farmyard manure in rice. However, the farmyard manure in combination with all sources of inorganic Zn increased the residual Zn and in turn additive effect in grain legume was recorded. Zn @ 4 kg/ha raised the status of DTPA-zinc considerably even after rice-chickpea crop rotation.