Asian Research Journal of Agriculture

Background: Micronutrients have a key role in crop productivity and soil health maintenance. These are essentially unnecessary. In particular, plants require zinc for regular, healthy growth and reproduction. Zinc is vital to plants as a structural element or regulatory co-factor of several enzymes in many important metabolic pathways. Zinc is the main nutrient that links certain enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase.

Aim: The present investigation was planned to study the effect of levels of nitrogen and zinc on growth and yield of mustard in central plain zone of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Methods: A field experiment was conducted at the Shri Shraddhey Bhagwati Singh Agriculture Research Farm (Hajipur) of Chandra Bhanu Gupt Agriculture P.G. College, Bakshi ka talab, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh during the rabi season 2023-24. To study the effect of 4 level of each nitrogen (0, 40, 80 and120 kg N ha^-1) and zinc (0 2, 4 and 6 kg ha^-1) on mustard crop. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomised Block Design with 3 replications.

Results: Application of nitrogen from 40 to 120 kg ha^-1 significantly enhanced the growth and yield attributes as compared to no nitrogen treatment. However, crop receiving 120 kg ha^-1 recorded the maximum value of growth attributes yield attributes and yield significantly over rest of the levels of nitrogen treatment. The maximum oil content was obtained with the control treatment i.e. 0 kg N   ha^-1 and maximum oil yield was obtained with application of 120 kg N ha^-1. Increasing doses of zinc from 2 to 6 kg ha^-1 increased the growth, yield attributes and yield However, significantly maximum value of growth, yield attributes and yield was obtained when crop fertilised with 6 kg Zn ha⁻¹. The maximum oil content (%) and oil yield was obtained with the application of 6 kg Zn ha^-1.

Conclusion: It is concluded that application of 120 kg N per hectare along with 6 kg Zn ha^-1 to obtained the maximum growth, yield attributes, yield and oil yield under central plain zone.