DR.

RAJENDRA PRASAD CENTRAL

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, PUSA, BIHAR

Topic- Role of Zinc in Vegetable Production

Submitted To:
Submitted By:
DR. PANKAJ SINGH
SANJIB KUMAR SINGH
DR. SANJAY TIWARI
M.SC. AGRONOMY, 1ST YEAR
DR. SANJAY KUMAR SINGH
Roll No.- 2003202016
(DEPT. OF SOIL SCIENCE)
Introduction:
• Zinc is an important micronutrient for crop growth.
• The essentiality of zinc was discovered by A.L. Sommer and C.B.Lipman in 1926.
• The principle form of uptake of zinc in plants is Zn2+.
• Zinc is immobile in soil and moderately mobile in plants.
• The concentration range of zinc in dry plant tissue varies from 25-150 ppm.

Concentration of zinc in soil:-

Lithosphere- 80 ppm
Soil-10-300 ppm( 50 ppm average)
Igneous rocks- 70 ppm
Soil solution- 2-70 ppb
Depending on the type of extractant used, available zinc in Indian soils varies from 1.0 ppm
to a few ppm.
Forms of zinc in soil:
• Mineral form:
Sphalarite- ZnS
Smithsonite- ZnCO3
Willemite- ZnSiO4
Franklinite- ZnFe2O4
• Adsorbed Form- Zn is adsorbed on the surface of clays, oxide minerals,carbonates and organic
matter.
• Solution form- In soil solution Zn exists as Zn ion and Zn(OH)+
• Organic Complex Form- Zn form stable complex with organic colloids. This form is not readily
available to plants.
Factors affecting zinc availability:
• Soil pH: Zn is available at pH range from 5-7. A 30 fold decrease in Zn concentration in acid soil
have been reported for each unit increase in soil pH between 5 and 7 (McBride and Blasiak,
1979). As soil pH increases above pH 5.5, Zn is adsorbed on hydrous oxides of Al, Fe and Mn.
• Adsorption: Zn adsorbed on CaCO3, clay mineral, Al/Fe oxides, OM surface and also adsorbed by
magnesite and up to some extent by dolomite.
• Soil Organic Matter: Zn availability is reduced in peat and humic soil. Freshly applied organic
materials have chelating property that enhances Zn availability.
• Interaction with other cations: Zn has antagonistic relation with Cu. P availability decreases Zn
availability. Similarly mycorrhiza increases P and other micronutrient uptake but P fertilization
reduce mycorrhizal uptake of Zn and enhance Zn deficiency.
• Flooding: In waterlogged soil Zn deficiency occur due to increased pH. But in calcareous
submerged soil Zn availability increases due to decrease in pH.
Role of Zn in vegetable plant:
• Zn is needed for tryptophane synthesis; a component of protein and certain hormones i.e.,
Auxin(IAA).
• Zn is involved in chlorophyll synthesis, enzyme activation and cell membrane integrity.
• Carbonic anhydrase was the first Zn containing enzyme discovered by Keilin and Mann in 1940.
• In addition to carbonic anhydrase, Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate and aldolase enzymes are activated
by Zn.
• Zn helps in conversion of starch to sugar.
• Zn is the main constituent of ribosome and is essential for their development.
• Zn also contribute to pollination by it’s impact on pollen tube formation.
• Under drought stress Zn improves seed germination, increases water use efficiency and
photosynthesis, increases the expression of stress protein and stimulates the antioxidant enzymes.

The importance of Zn nutrient for vegetable crops can be observed from the subsequent tables
and graphs-
Effect of Zn fertilizer on photosynthesis
Effect of Zn in rice crop
Mechanism of drought stress mitigation by Zinc in brief
Effect of Zinc deficiency:
• Zn deficiency reduces RNA synthesis.
• Zn deficiency causes fern leaf of potato.
• Peas: Leaves are narrow, pointed and curled in wards. Yellow mottling on the lamina started from
the base of the midrib and move upwards. Poor pod set and seed development
• Tomato: Zinc deficiency inhibits both vegetative and reproductive growth. The deficiency results in
shortened internodes, downward curling of leaflets, and chlorosis. Under severe deficiency, oozing
of cell contents as brown fluid is seen from the leaves.
• Chillies: The entire foliage of the crop will be reduced in size with interveinal chlorosis, when zinc is
in short supply and the plant will present a stunted growth.
• Cauliflower: Young leaves become small and curd colour is affected.
• Cucurbits: Chlorosis in the interveinal areas of new leaves producing a banding or striping
appearance. Leaf and plant growth become stunted with increasing severity of the deficiency;
leaves eventually die.
• Apart from that Zn deficiency causes Khaira of rice, Rosetting of Citrus, White Bud of Maize, Little
leaf of cotton and grape etc.
Zn deficiency in vegetable crops:
Management of Zinc nutrition:
Zn sources:
Organic Compounds-
 Disodium zinc EDTA (Na2ZnEDTA)- 8-14%
 Sodium zinc HEDTA (NaZnHEDTA)- 6-10%
 Sodium Zinc EDTA (NaZnEDTA)- 9-13%
 Zinc polyfavonoid- 5-10%
 Zinc lignosulphonate- 5-8%
Inorganic Compounds-
 Zinc sulphate (Zn SO4. H2O, monohydrated)- 33%
 Zinc sulphate (Zn SO4.7H2O, heptahydratded)- 21%
 Zinc oxide (ZnO)- 78%
 Zinc Carbonates (ZnCO3)- 52%
 Zinc phosphate [( Zn3PO4)2]- 51%
Zinc Fertilizer Applications:
 Zn application rate is more in clay soil than sandy soil.
 Zn efficiency increases if applied with N and S fertilizers.
 Dominant transport mechanism to roots is diffusion. Diffusion of the chelated cation is more than
the un-chelated one.
 Zn soluble and Zn complexes can also enter the plant through leaves.
• Zn deficiencies are normally corrected by soil application of Zn compounds. The amount of Zn
fertilizer depends on the type of crop to be sown, the type of Zn fertilizer used and the local soil
conditions.
• Foliar sprays are usually used on high value fruit trees, grape vines and for treating annual field
crops.
• Fertigation is a relatively new application method in which both Zn fertilizer and NPK fertilizers
are added together to irrigation water to improve uniform distribution, homogenous mixing,
greater availability and reduced risk of damage to plants especially in semi-arid and arid areas.
Conclusion:
• 48.1% of Indian soils are found to be deficient in DTPA extractable zinc.
• At present 32 million tonnes of urea is being consumed in India, whereas there is not a single
grain of zincated-urea used. This could help in correcting zinc deficiency.
• During the launch of GST the rate on fertilizer was reduced from 12 % to 5 %. But it was restricted
to NPK fertilizers only and the secondary and micronutrient were left out. The GST on
micronutrients is 12% and higher which should be reduced.
• If Zn deficiency can be managed properly by reducing the price in micronutrient fertilizer and
creating awareness among farmers then certainly crop production would increase both
quantitatively and qualitatively.
THANK YOU