Zinc deficiency in paddy

Symptoms of Zn Deficiency

• Burning appearance of plants.
• Reduction in growth.
• Reduction in yields.
• Symptoms appear between 2 to 4 weeks after transplanting in case of paddy.
• Dusty brown spots on upper leaves of stunted plants.
• Uneven plant growth and patches of poorly established hills in the field, but the crop may recover without intervention.
• Tillering in paddy decreases and can stop completely and time to crop maturity increases under severe Zn deficiency.
• Increase spikelet sterility in rice.
• Chlorotic midribs, particularly near the leaf base of younger leaves.
• Leaves lose turgidity and turn brown as brown blotches and streaks appear on lower leaves, enlarge, and coalesce.
• White line sometimes appears along the leaf midrib.
• Leaf blade size is reduced.

Preventive measures:

• Application of 25 kg of zinc sulphate per acre in deficient soils at the time of last puddling should be applied.
• Soil application of zinc proves better than foliar application.