Effect of sulphur and zinc on yield and quality of groundnut (Arachis hypogeae) in an Inceptisols of western undulating zone of Odisha, India

The study conducted at the College of Agriculture, OUAT, Bhawanipatna, Odisha, aimed to evaluate the effect of four sulphur (S) levels (0, 30, 45 and 60 kg elemental S ha-1) and four zinc (Zn) levels (0, 20, 25 and 30 kg ZnSO4 7 H2O ha-1) and the impact of different sulphur and zinc levels on the performance of groundnut (Arachis hypogeae) crops. The soil was low in available S and DTPA-extractable Zn. The application of S and Zn improved plant height, nodules, pods, kernels, protein content, pod and haulms yield, S and Zn-content in kernel and S and Zn-uptake. The treatments of Zn30S45 and Zn25S60 significantly increased economic yield and improved nutrient use efficiency, and the apparent recovery of Zinc varied considerably between 0.96 and 2.67 per cent, lowest with Zn20S30 and highest with the treatment of Zn25S60. The study recommends supplementations of 25 kg ha-1 ZnSO4 7 H2O + 60 kg ha-1 elemental sulphur or 30 kg ha-1 ZnSO4 7 H2O + 45 kg ha-1 elemental sulphur for higher yield over sole application of recommended fertilizer of 20-40-40 kg of N: P2O5: K2O in groundnut crop in a loamy sand soil low in S and Zn.