Abstract

A field experiment was conducted under All India Co-ordinated Research Project on “Micro, secondary nutrients and pollutant elements in soils and plants” during  two consecutive years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 with fallow-wheat cropping sequence on a Typic Haplustert at the Research Farm of Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, J.N. Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (M.P.) to study the influence of Zn application on its translocation into various plant parts of wheat and its impact on chemical composition and quality of grain. The recommended dose of N, P and K was applied at 120 N: 60 P₂O₅: 40 K₂O kg ha^-1 in combination with Zn at 0, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 kg ha^-1 as zinc sulphate. The results revealed that the application of increasing levels of Zn at 5, 10 and 20 kg ha^-1 significantly increased the Zn concentration in root, stem, leaves and earhead of wheat over NPK fertilization alone at different growth stages of wheat. The grain and straw yields as well as harvest index increased with the increasing levels of Zn as compared to NPK alone. The maximum pooled grain yield 4.66 t ha^-1 was observed in the treatment 20 kg Zn ha^-1, while the maximum pooled grain 3.88 t ha^-1 in the control plots (100% NPK alone). The Zn, N and K contents in grain and straw of wheat significantly increased with the increasing levels of Zn at 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 kg ha^-1. However, the P content in both grain and straw was in decreasing order with increasing levels of Zn. Further, the quality parameters like crude and true protein, wet gluten and total carbohydrate were also increased with increasing levels of Zn as compared to NPK alone. Thus, the present studies indicated that the application of 20 kg Zn ha^-1 with 100% NPK on wheat crop enhanced the as well as maintained the quality of produce and its chemical composition.

Key words: Zn application, translocation, chemical composition, quality, wheat, Typic Haplustert.