1. INTRODUCTION
1. To find out the effect of nitrogen level and zinc on growth, yields attributes and yield of rice.
2. To assess the nitrogen and zinc content in rice grain.
3. To study the economics of the treatments.
The first author acknowledge the facilities provided by Institute of Agricultural Science, BHU, Varanasi during the course of investigation.
Acknowledgement
PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY OF DIRECT SEEDED RICE UNDER DIFFERENT NITROGEN AND ZINC LEVELS
Rajendra Prasad Meena1*, S. K. Prasad2 and M. K. Singh2
1M.Sc (Ag) Student, Department of Agronomy, BHU, Varanasi,
2Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy, BHU, Varanasi
*Corresponding author: rajujhiri06@mail.com
 Transplanted rice is a labour intensive, cumbersome and high water demanding. Direct seeded rice (DSR) is a new
rice production technique that avoids all problems relating to transplanted rice.
 Nitrogen and zinc deficiencies are the genuine problems of Indian soil that reduce the productive potential of rice.
 Nitrogen is an essential element that determine rice grain yield by promoting tillering and increasing spikelet
number per panicle.
 Zn is involved in nitrogen metabolism that triggers Zn mediated NUE.
 The information on performance of DSR under different nitrogen and zinc fertilization is lacking. Hence the present
study was undertaken to find the response of DSR to different N rates and zinc scheduling for higher yield and
economic returns.
Validation of NE-DSS for Hybrid Maize with different genotypes under conservation agriculture clearly showed the superiority of NE based recommendation over
existing practices in terms of yield, profitability, and soil fertility. It is a unique tool for large scale implementation of SSNM in India where over 80% of the farmers
are marginal and small farmers, as they do not have access to soil testing.
Table 1: Effect of nitrogen levels and zinc scheduling on plant height, grain yield, grain zinc content and net return of
direct seeded rice.
Fig. 3. Cost of cultivation, gross return and net return (Rs/ha)
OBJECTIVES
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fig. 1. Effect of nitrogen levels and zinc application on yield
Fig. 2. Grain Zn content (ppm)
CONCLUSION
Nitrogen levels
• N0 - Control
• N1 - 90kg Nitrogen ha-1
• N2 - 120kg Nitrogen ha-1
• N3 - 150kg Nitrogen ha-1
Zinc Scheduling’s
• Z0 - Control
• Z1 - 0.3% ZnSO4.H2O Spray at anthesis
• Z2 - 0.3% ZnSO4.H2O Spray at early milking
• Z3 - 0.3% ZnSO4 .H2O Spray at dough stage
Treatments - 4 Nitrogen levels
4 Zinc Scheduling's
Design - FRBD
Replication - Three
Treatments
Plant height (cm) at
harvest
Grain yield (kg ha-1)
Grain
Zinc
content
(mg kg-1)
Net returns
(×103 ₹/ha)
N- rates
N0 (control) 94.50 3046.67d
22.18 21.173d
N90
105.80 3626.52c
25.81 29.719c
N120
112.42 3952.16b
27.80 35.054b
N150
120.37 4340.93a
34.83 41.275a
Zinc management/ timing of zinc application
0% ZnSO4 spray (control ) 102.72 2717.95 d 21.98 13.174d
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at anthesis 119.33 4368.75 a
23.03 43.005a
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at early milking 106.65 4026.76 b 28.84 36.828cb
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at dough stage 104.38 3852.83 c 36.75 34.214b
Significance
SE m ± 3.52 98.71 1.13 1.738
CD (P=0.05) 10.15 285.09 3.28 5.021
NxZn NS S S NS
Table 2: Interaction effect of N x Zn on grain yield, zinc content and uptake in grain
Treatments
Grain
yield (kg ha-1) Zinc content (mg kg-1)
Nitrogen levels (kgha-1)
N0 N90 N120 N150 N0 N90 N120 N150
Zn management
0% ZnSO4 spray (control )
2270.83 2753.20 2866.66 2981.09 18.79 21.83 22.58 24.75
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at
anthesis 3525.63 4006.41 4360.90 5582.05 21.51 19.69 20.71 30.23
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at early
milking 3305.28 3879.80 4320.51 4601.44 22.20 29.45 30.96 32.77
0.3% ZnSO4 spray at dough
stage 3084.93 3866.66 4260.59 4199.13 26.23 32.29 36.95 51.57
C.D. (P=0.05) of NxZn 570.18 0.30
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
N0 N1 N2 N3
Yield
Nitrogen levels
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Z0 Z1 Z2 Z3
Yield
Zinc application
Grain yield (kg ha-1)
Straw yield (kg ha-1)
Biological yield (kg
ha-1)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
N1 N2 N3 N4
Zinccontent(PPM) Nitrogen levels
Z1
Z2
Z3
Z4
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
N0 N1 N2 N3
Economicsofcultivation
Nitrogen levels
Cost of cultivation
(`
Gross returns (`
ha-1)
Net returns (`
1. Half of N2 as basal dose
2. Half at 40 DAS
 Application of 150 kg N ha-1 and 0.3% ZnSO4 spray at dough stage of crop recorded maximum
zinc content.
 Application of 150 kg N ha-1 and 0.3% ZnSO4 spray at anthesis was fetched significantly higher
grain yield, net returns and B:C ratio in direct seeded rice.
 A positive correlation was found between N and Zn in terms of grain yield and grain Zn
content.