Effect of zinc management on yield, nutrient content, and acquisition of zero-tilled wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) season 2018–19 and 2019–20 at Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab to find out the effect of soil and foliar application of ZnSO4 .7H2 O on zero till wheat. The experi- ment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were control (noZn), soil application of 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50 kg/ha zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO4 .7H2 O), and foliar application of 0.5% Zn as one spray at heading initiation (5% ear emergence), one spray at 100% heading (complete ear emergence) and two sprays at heading initiation and 100% heading with a recommended dose of fertilizer. Results showed that the soil application of 50 kg Zn/ha with two foliar sprays of 0.5% zinc sulfate heptahydrate at heading initiation and 100% heading produced the highest yield attributes and grain yield of wheat. Application of 50 kg Zn/ ha with two foliar sprays of 0.5 % Zn at heading initiation and 100% heading registered ~25% higher grain yield over control. Grain Zn content (41.77ppm) percent increase was 33.9 with 50 kg Zn/ha with two foliar sprays of 0.5 % zinc at heading initiation and 100% heading over control (31.20 ppm).Likewise, application of 50 kg Zn/ha with two foliar sprays of 0.5 % Zn at heading initiation and 100% heading recorded the highest net returns among the Zn treatments. Overall, soil application of 50 kg Zn/ha with two foliar sprays of 0.5 % zinc at heading initiation and 100% heading improved the yield, uptake, and profitability of zero-tilled wheat in zinc-deficient soils.