| Abstract: | A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of application of three levels of phosphorus (0, 50 and 100 ppm) and three levels of zinc (0, 5 and 10 ppm) in all possible combinations on yield and tissue concentrations of zinc, copper, iron and manganese by rice at two different growth stages (35 and 90 days after transplantation). The results showed that application of both phosphorus and zinc increased the dry matter yield of shoot and root at both the growth stages. Phosphorus or zinc application was found to influence the concentration of zinc, copper, iron and manganese in shoot and in root but these influences varied with the growth stages of the plant as well as with the level of zinc and phosphorus application. The results further showed that phosphorus or zinc application influenced the absorption of zinc/phosphorus, iron, manganese and copper by rice plants and their translocation from root to shoot. Such effects were found to be more prominent at early growth stage than at late growth stage of the plants. |
