Vol. 5, Issue 3, Part A (2019)

Abstract
Field experiment was conducted at Annamalai university Experimental farm, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu, India during kharif 2015 to study the effect of zinc and silicon fertilization on growth and yield of rice. The results indicated that the treatment which received 10 kg Zn ha^-1 and 150 kg Si ha^-1 alone recorded a yield increase of 19.5 and 11 percent, respectively over control. The highest rice and straw yield (5178.5 and 6732.0 kg ha^-1) and (4951 and 6477 kg ha^-1) was achieved in treatment 10 kg Zn ha^-1 and 150 kg Si ha^-1. On the other hand, 10 kg Zn ha^-1 in combination with 150 kg Si ha^-1 produced 31.9 percent more rice yield over control. The addition of 10 Zn ha^-1 plus 150 kg Si ha^-1 resulted in significant increase in higher value for growth (plant height, number of tillers hill^-1 and dry matter production). The study revealed zinc and silicon fertilization as a suitable material for improving crop yield as well as soil fertility.