Zinc biofortification in sixty groundnut cultivars through foliar application of zinc sulphate.

Abstract

A field experiment with 60 groundnut cultivars, in a calcareous soil having 1.20 mg kg−1 available zinc (Zn), foliar application of 0.2% aqueous solution of zinc sulphate thrice at 40, 55 and 70 days at 500, 500 and 1000 L ha−1, respectively, increased the number of pods, pod yield, shelling and 100 seed mass and seed zinc (Zn) content, significantly. The seeds Zn content in groundnut cultivars ranged 38–70 mg kg−1 with an average of 48 mg kg−1 without Zn and 58 mg kg−1 with Zn. Foliar Zn application increased 22% Zn in seed. This increase was more than 10% in 48 out of 60 cultivars. The cultivars GG 7, GG 20, Tirupati 4, DH 8, JSP 19, TKG 19 A, CSMG 884 and S 206 showed > 50 mg kg−1 Zn, > 10% increase in seed Zn with Zn application and > 250 g m−2 pod yield.