Application of Zinc, Iron and Boron Enhances Productivity and Grain Biofortification of Mungbean

Deficiencies of essential vitamins,iron(Fe),and zinc(Zn)affect over one-half of the world’s population.A significant progress has been made to control micronutrient deficiencies through supplementation,but new approaches are needed,especially to reach the rural poor.Agronomic biofortification of pulses with Zn,Fe,and boron(B)offers a pragmatic solution to combat hidden hunger instead of food fortification and supplementation.Moreover,it also has positive effects on crop production as well.Therefore,we conducted three separate field experiments for two consecutive years to evaluate the impact of soil and foliar application of the aforementioned nutrients on the yield and seed biofortification of mungbean.Soil application of Zn at 0,4.125,8.25,Fe at 0,2.5,5.0 and B at 0,0.55,1.1 kg ha−1 was done in the first,second and third experiment,respectively.Foliar application in these experiments was done at 0.3%Zn,0.2%Fe and 0.1%B respectively one week after flowering initiation.Data revealed that soil-applied Zn,Fe and B at 8.25,5.0 and 1.1 kg ha−1,respectively,enhanced the grain yield of mungbean;however,this increase in yield was statistically similar to that recorded with Zn,Fe and B at 4.125,2.5 and 0.55 kg ha−1,respectively.Foliar application of these nutrients at flower initiation significantly enhanced the Zn contents by 28%and 31%,Fe contents by 80%and 78%,while B contents by 98%and 116%over control during 2019 and 2020,respectively.It was concluded from the results that soil application of Zn,Fe,and B enhanced the yield performance of mungbean;while significant improvements in seed Zn,Fe,and B contents were recorded with foliar application of these nutrients.

Improving Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through Nitrogen Application under Semiarid Conditions

Nitrogen(N),the building block of plant proteins and enzymes,is an essential macronutrient for plant functions.A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different N application rates(28,57,85,114,142,171,and 200 kg ha^(−1))on the performance of spring wheat(cv.Ujala-2016)during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 growing seasons.A control without N application was kept for comparison.Two years mean data showed optimum seed yield(5,461.3 kg ha^(−1))for N-application at 142 kg ha^(−1) whereas application of lower and higher rates of N did not result in significant and economically higher seed yield.A higher seed yield was obtained in the 2017–2018(5,595 kg ha^(−1))than in the 2018–2019(5,328 kg ha^(−1))growing seasons under an N application of 142 kg ha^(−1).It was attributed to the greater number of growing degree days in the first(1,942.35°C days)than in the second year(1,813.75°C).Higher rates of N(171 and 200 kg ha^(−1))than 142 kg ha^(−1) produced more number of tillers(i.e.,948,300 and 666,650 ha^(−1),respectively).However,this increase did not contribute in achieving higher yields.Application of 142,171,and 200 kg ha^(−1) resulted in 14.15%,15.0%and 15.35%grain protein concentrations in comparison to 13.15%with the application of 114 kg ha^(−1).It is concluded that the application of N at 142 kg ha^(−1) could be beneficial for attaining higher grain yields and protein concentrations of wheat cultivar Ujala-2016.