Elemental sulfur-assisted iron and zinc fortification for potential growth enhancement in canola under alkaline soil

Abstract

The canola is an important oilseed crop of the world and Pakistan that grows in a substantial area, but the required quality and yield of canola oil is still not enough to meet the country’s need. Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) are important human nutrients and biofortification of these elements in canola oil is a challenge especially under alkaline calcareous soil conditions owing to less bioavailability of these metal ions in soil. With the same objective, the present investigation was conducted in 2 experiments (Pot and Field trials) with 7 treatments (Control, So-200 kg ha-1, Iron-3 kg ha-1, Zinc-6 kg ha-1, S+Fe, S+Zn and S+Fe+Zn) under pot and filed conditions, separately. The application of S, Fe and Zn resulted in a significant increment in canola crop growth, yield, improved plant physiology and enhanced Fe and Zn uptake and accumulation. The elemental S alone was found to be affecting these properties significantly and combined application with Fe, Zn, and Fe+Zn resulted in further increment in growth, yield, oil percentage and shoot/grain elemental components. For Fe distribution, S application with Fe enhanced its shoot and grains accumulation 16% and 14% compared to alone Fe control under pot settings while 16% and 15% higher shoot and grain Fe was observed under field trial. The shoot and grains’ Zn contents were also found to be significantly improved (10% and 9% higher Zn in shoot and grain of pot-grown canola plants while 19% and 10% increment was observed under filed investigation compared with respective controls).