ABSTRACT
In an intensive rice production system, the climatic changes, nutritional disorders, moisture stress, insect-pest infestation, etc. are the major challenges which produce the underdeveloped rice with low yield. Further, the excessive application of NPK fertilizers has reduced the other nutrients significantly resulting in their deficiencies. Zinc is the most important micronutrient for the growth and yield of rice, and its deficiency in the soil leads to poor quality rice. The application of zinc in soil is not readily transported to the shoot and likewise, its foliar use is inefficiently transported to roots. Therefore, zinc when applied either in soils or on foliage can enhance the productivity only under well-defined agroecosystem. Also, zinc fertilization is the most economic way to alleviate its deficiency in rice and improves the productivity and grain Zn concentration, thus contributing to the higher nutritional value of rice. Keeping this in view, this chapter highlights the several rice attributes, such as growth, yield, and quality indices, being affected by zinc to improve the rice production and sort out the Zn deficiency problems.
