Growth, yield and zinc accumulation in garlic (Allium sativum L.) as affected by zinc supply on zinc deficient soils

Zinc deficiency in soils and plants is the worldwide problem causing considerable yield reduction and indirectly affects human health due to its lesser concentration in the crop produces grown on zinc deficient soils. Hence to know the effect of zinc supply on the growth, clove yield and Zn accumulation, four field experiments were conducted with varied levels of zinc sulphate (0, 5, 10, 25, 37.5 and 50 kg ha-1) using garlic variety Ooty 1 as test crop on zinc deficient sandy loam soils during the Rabi season of 2018-19. Soils with deficient zinc availability showed better response to different levels of zinc sulphate and application of recommended NPK along with 10 kg zinc sulphate ha-1 was found sufficient and economical in increasing the clove yield of garlic by 20.6 per cent. The same treatment resulted in higher farm income with the benefit cost ratio of 3.28. Slight yield reduction (5-7%) at all the four farms was observed for the higher levels of zinc sulphate addition (37.5 and 50 kg ha-1). The highest soil Zn availability, zinc accumulation and uptake by garlic crop were obtained with the addition of 50 kg zinc sulphate ha-1. Although there was a higher variability in the garlic crop response to zinc levels at all the farms, zinc sulphate addition at different levels considerably improved the growth and yield of garlic and also increasing the zinc accumulation in cloves and plants on zinc deficient soils.