Zinc Application to Rice Genotypes Under Saline Conditions

Abstract

Zinc (Zn) is an important micronutrient for plants, animals and human beings. In Pakistan most of the calcareous and alkaline soils are deficient in plant-available Zn because of arid and semi arid climate, high soil pH and calcareousness of soil. Zinc concentration in the soils of rice track in Pakistan is decreasing rapidly due to less addition of Zn in the soils. Environmental stresses are among the most limiting factors to plant productivity. Among these, salinity is one of the biggest problems of Pakistan due to its arid to semi-arid climate. Salinity stress significantly reduces growth and productivity of glycophytes, which are the majority of agricultural products. Among the glycophytes, rice is a zinc-sensitive as well as saline-sensitive crop. In this chapter we show that when a soil is exposed to salinity the nutrient imbalance is the main issue that effecting the plant growth. Decrease in water availability is the main problem due to increase in osmotic potential. Zn application improves the plant physiological process: photosynthesis and respiration and increase the CO2 fixation. Crop cultivation in saline soil can be possible by cultivation of salt tolerant genotypes, and application of mineral nutrition in higher dose.