Influence of Zinc, Iron and Manganese Applications on Soil Properties, Protein Content and Sedimentation Value of Wheat

Micronutrient insufficiency in plants is becoming increasingly common, particularly in cereals crops around the world. These deficits result in a loss of yield as well as deterioration in the nutritional quality of the crops. The experiment was carried out in screen house for Rabi season of 2017-18, Soil Science Department, CCS HAU, Hisar to measure the impact of methods and dosages of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) application on post-harvest soil characteristics and wheat quality. The findings of this research illustrated that DTPA-extractable Zn and Mn increased significantly with the addition of Zn and Mn, respectively as compared to control. With the application of micronutrients, the sedimentation value and protein content of wheat both significantly increased in comparison to the control. Maximum increase in sedimentation value (54.0) was found when 0.5 % ZnSO4 + 2.5 % urea was applied. Whereas, maximum increase in protein content (12.2%) was observed when 0.5 % FeSO4 + 3 % urea was applied. Overall, quality of wheat improved with the application of micronutrients but there was no significant effect of these applications on soil parameters. There was no significant variation in soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), electrical conductivity (EC), available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and DTPA-extractable Fe when micronutrients were applied as foliar or basal doses.