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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Orchestrating nutrient synergy in transplanted rice: Yield partitioning and partial budgeting under zinc, iron and silicon enrichment

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13484
Submitted
1 January 2026
Published
04-08-2026

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity is highly dependent on balanced nutrient management. Micronutrients such as zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe), along with beneficial elements like silicon (Si), play a crucial role in enhancing growth, yield formation and stress tolerance in rice. The present study aimed to systematically evaluate the combined effect of Zn, Fe and Si on the growth, yield partitioning and economic efficiency of transplanted rice under field conditions. The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with 3 replications and 10 treatments, combining various forms of Zn, Fe and Si. The study found that the treatment combining recommended dose of fertiliser (RDF) along with the soil application of 25 kg ZnSO₄, 25 kg FeSO₄ and 50 kg diatomaceous earth (T6) significantly improved the partitioning of assimilates towards grain production. This led to enhanced growth parameters resulting in a higher productive tiller count and more filled grains per panicle. This enhanced yield partitioning was reflected in the highest grain yield (5512 kg ha-1) and straw yield (7726 kg ha-1) during season I and grain yield (5721 kg ha-1) and straw yield (8019 ka ha-1) during season II, indicating effective carbon partitioning and biomass distribution. The partial budget analysis revealed that treatment (T6) maximised both agronomic efficiency and economic profitability by achieving the highest gross and net returns, outperforming all other treatments, with the highest return per rupee invested of ₹2.18 and ₹2.20 in seasons I and II, respectively. Thus, the combined application of Zn, Fe and Si along with RDF can be recommended as an effective nutrient management strategy for improving the productivity, resource-use efficiency and profitability of transplanted rice under similar agro-ecological conditions.

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