Effect of Foliar Application of Zinc, Selenium, and Iron Fertilizers on Nutrients Concentration and Yield of Rice Grain in China

Zn, Se, and Fe levels in 65 Chinese rice samples were investigated, and the results indicated that these micronutrients contents of rice products from different location varied considerably. The mean contents of Zn, Se and Fe in these rice samples were 21.5+/-1.8, 0.020+/-0.012, and 12.4+/-4.3 mg kg(-1), respectively, which were too low to meet the micronutrient demands for the population feeding on the rice as staple. A field orthogonal experiment L9 (3(4)) was conducted on rice cultivar Wuyunjing 7, to evaluate the effect of Zn, Se, and Fe foliar fertilization on the concentration of these micronutrients, yield, and protein and ash content of rice grain. The results indicated that Zn and Se were the main variables influencing the Zn, Se, and Fe content of rice, and the optimal combination of fertilization for enhancing these micronutrients was 0.90 kg ha(-1) Zn, 0.015 kg ha(-1) Se, and 0.90 kg ha(-1) Fe. Under the optimal application condition, Zn, Se, and Fe content of rice could be significantly increased by 36.7%, 194.1%, and 37.1%, respectively, compared with the control, without affecting grain yield and protein and ash content of rice products. Moreover, in the confirmation experiment on rice cultivar Ninggeng 1, the optimal fertilization could increase the Zn, Se, and Fe content of rice up to 17.4, 0.123, and 14.2 mg kg(-1), respectively.