Summary
This field trial, likely conducted at a research station in central India, examines how the source of applied zinc fertiliser influences both maize productivity and micronutrient accumulation in grain and stover grown on Vertisol — a clay-rich, shrink-swell soil common to semi-arid tropical regions. The paper appears to compare multiple zinc fertiliser formulations (such as zinc sulphate, zinc oxide, and chelated zinc) at equivalent rates, assessing their relative efficacy in ameliorating zinc deficiency. Findings likely demonstrate variation in agronomic effectiveness among zinc sources, with implications for fertiliser recommendations on micronutrient-deficient Vertisols.
UK applicability
Vertisols are not characteristic of UK agricultural soils, and the semi-arid tropical context limits direct transferability; however, the broader principles regarding zinc source efficiency and micronutrient biofortification of cereal crops are relevant to UK practitioners managing zinc-deficient soils or pursuing dietary micronutrient improvement strategies.
Key measures
Grain and stover yield (t/ha); plant tissue zinc, copper, manganese and iron concentration (mg/kg); zinc uptake efficiency
Outcomes reported
The study measured maize grain and stover yield alongside concentrations of zinc, copper, manganese, and iron in plant tissue as affected by the application of different zinc fertiliser sources on a Vertisol soil.
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