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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

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

Optimising irrigation and zinc management improves wheat yield, quality and resource use-efficiency in the Indo-Gangetic Plains

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14238
Submitted
25 February 2026
Published
07-09-2026

Abstract

The Indo-Gangetic plains in India have low wheat productivity and quality due to inadequate irrigation and nutrient management in predominantly zinc (Zn)-deficient soils. To address these challenges, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the individual and combined effects of irrigation scheduling and Zn application on wheat yield, quality and efficiency indices. The study followed a randomised block design with 3 replications, comprising 4 irrigation schedules based on critical Zadoks growth stages and five Zn application strategies involving basal and foliar treatments. Results showed that in general, among irrigation schedules treatment I2 (crown root initiation (CRI) + late jointing + milking) enhanced the wheat grain yield (11–12 %), protein content (18.4–18.7 %) and partial factor productivity (15.9–18.2 kg kg-1) during both the years. Among Zn treatment, Zn4 (10 kg Zn ha-1 as basal + 0.25 % ZnSO4 foliar sprays at Z45 and Z71) improved the 15–18 % grain yield whereas Zn2 enhanced 18.7–19.10 % protein content than control (Zn1). However, the combined effect of I2 × Zn4 numerically increased the grain yield by 22–25 %, protein yield (35 %) and various efficiency indices over the control (I1× Zn1) during both years of experimentation. Overall, the synchronised I2 × Zn4 treatment emerged as the best agronomic strategy for improving yield, nutritional quality and sustainability of wheat under water-limited conditions. This approach enhanced the productivity, profitability and nutritional security of wheat in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Future research should validate this framework across diverse agro-ecological regions and socio-economic context.

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