Zn Foliar Spray as a Management Strategy Boosts Oil Qualitative and Quantitative Traits of Spring Rapeseed Genotypes at Winter Sowing Dates

• Published in: Journal of soil science and plant nutrition 2021-06, Vol.21 (2), p.1610-1620
• Main Authors: Rad, Amir Hosein Shirani, Ganj-Abadi, Farnaz, Jalili, Ehsan Ollah, Eyni-Nargeseh, Hamed, Safavi Fard, Nadia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Agricultural ecosystems; Agricultural production; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Crop growth; Crop yield; Crops; Drought; Ecology; Environment; Environmental conditions; Environmental stress; Fatty acids; Genotypes; Glucosinolates; Growing season; Life Sciences; Linoleic acid; Metabolism; Nitrogen; Oils & fats; Oilseeds; Optimization; Original Paper; Plant nutrition; Plant Sciences; Potassium; Rain; Rapeseed; Seeds; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil testing; Spring; Spring (season); Winter; Zinc
• ISSN: 0718-9508; 0718-9516
• DOI: 10.1007/s42729-021-00465-5

To determine the suitable sowing date in each region, it is important to note that environmental conditions should be optimal during the crop growing season. Plant nutrition using macro-elements and micro-elements improves crop growth and quantitative and qualitative yields under environmental stresses. A 2-year experiment (2015–2016 and 2016–2017) was conducted to investigate the effect of zinc (Zn) foliar spray on quantitative and qualitative yields of spring rapeseed genotypes at winter sowing dates. The factorial split-plot arrangement of treatments was set up in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Main plots included three winter sowing dates of 9, 19, and 29 February and Zn foliar spray at two levels of non-Zn foliar spray (control) and Zn foliar spray (5 g l −1 at the stem elongation stage). Sub-plots contained four genotypes of Sarigol, Dalgan, Salsa, and Solar. While silique number per plant, seed number per silique, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, oil yield and content, and oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids of the study genotypes were lessened at late sowing dates, contents of linolenic, stearic, and erucic acids and glucosinolate were significantly increased in such condition. Zn foliar spray improved seed yield and yield components, oil yield and content, and linoleic acid content, while contents of linolenic, stearic, and erucic acids and glucosinolate were dropped. Overall, the current study suggests that to produce the optimal quantitative and qualitative yields in rapeseed agro-ecosystems, genotypes should be cultivated on an optimum winter sowing date (February 9) and treated with Zn.