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Combined Zinc and Nitrogen Fertilization in Different Bread Wheat Genotypes Grown under Mediterranean Conditions

Cereal Research Communications volume 45, pages 154–165 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

The combined application of nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) appears to be a promising agronomic strategy for the biofortification with Zn. To evaluate such efficiency, a field experiment was conducted in south-eastern Portugal under Zn-deficient soil. Four advanced breeding lines and two commercial varieties of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were fertilized with five treatments: i) control, ii) two foliar Zn applications, iii) one foliar Zn+N application, iv) soil and two foliar Zn applications, and v) soil and one foliar Zn+N application. Grain Zn content varied greatly across treatments and INIAV-1 and the commercial varieties were the most interesting cultivars in all the treatments. Grain Zn concentrations higher than the target level of 38 mg Zn kg−1 were obtained only when two foliar Zn applications were applied, alone or in combination with soil Zn applications, and grain Zn bioavailability also was more adequate (phytate:Zn ratios similar to 15). Soil Zn application resulted in grain yield increases between 7–10%, which virtually offset the extra application cost. The combined soil and two foliar treatment could be a good option for biofortifying bread wheat under Zn-deficient soils.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ingeniería del Medio Agronómico y Forestal, Escuela de Ingenierías Agrarias, University of Extremadura, Avda. Adolfo Suárez s/n, 06007, Badajoz, Spain

    F. Gomez-Coronado & M. J. Poblaciones

  2. Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Elvas, Portugal

    F. Gomez-Coronado & A. S. Almeida

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey

    I. Cakmak

Authors
  1. F. Gomez-Coronado
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  2. M. J. Poblaciones
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  3. A. S. Almeida
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  4. I. Cakmak
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. J. Poblaciones.

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Communicated by T. Harangozó

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Gomez-Coronado, F., Poblaciones, M.J., Almeida, A.S. et al. Combined Zinc and Nitrogen Fertilization in Different Bread Wheat Genotypes Grown under Mediterranean Conditions. CEREAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 45, 154–165 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1556/0806.44.2016.046

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1556/0806.44.2016.046

Keywords

  • zinc deficiency
  • urea
  • agronomic biofortification
  • genetic biofortification
  • zinc fertilizers