Abstract
Aim Zinc deficiencies are widespread in many soils, limiting crop growth and contributing to Zn deficiencies in human diets. This study aimed at understanding soil factors influencing grain Zn concentrations and uptake of crops grown in different landscape positions in West Amhara, Ethiopia. Methods On-farm experiments were conducted in three landscape positions, with five farmers’ fields as replicates in each landscape position, and at three sites. Available Zn from the soil (Mehlich 3, M3, Zn) and applied fertilizer (NET_FERT Zn, estimated based on adsorption/desorption characteristics and applied Zn) were related to the actual grain Zn concentration and uptake of teff, wheat, and maize. Zinc fertilizer treatments tested were Zn applied at planting (basal), basal plus side dressing and a control with no Zn applied. Results Zn treatments had a significant effect on grain Zn concentration (increase by up to 10%) but the effect on grain yield was variable. Differences in crop Zn concentrations along the landscape positions were observed but not at all sites and crops. Trial results showed that soils with higher soil pH and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) (typical of footslope landscape positions) tended to adsorb more applied Zn (reduce NET_FERT Zn) than soils with lower soil pH and SOC (typical of upslope landscape positions). Zn availability indicators (M3, NET_FERT Zn, clay%) explained 14-52% of the observed variation in grain Zn concentrations, whereas macronutrient indicators (Total N, exchangeable K) together with M3 Zn were better in predicting grain Zn uptake (16 to 32% explained variability). Maize had the lowest grain Zn concentrations but the highest grain Zn uptake due to high yields. Conclusion We found that the sum of indigenous and fertilizer Zn significantly affects grain Zn loadings of cereals and that the associated soil parameters differ between and within landscape positions. Therefore, knowledge of soil properties and crop characteristics helps to understand where agronomic biofortification can be effective.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc treatments increased grain zinc concentration by up to 10%.
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“Zn treatments had a significant effect on grain Zn concentration (increase by up to 10%)”
e2“a control with no Zn applied”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc treatments increased grain zinc concentration in wheat by up to 10%.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Treatment
- Zn treatmentse1
- Outcome
- grain Zn concentratione1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 10%e1
- Comparator
- control with no Zn appliede2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“Zn treatments had a significant effect on grain Zn concentration (increase by up to 10%)”
e2“a control with no Zn applied”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc treatments increased grain zinc concentration in maize by up to 10%.
- Treatment
- Zn treatmentse1
- Outcome
- grain Zn concentratione1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Value
- 10%e1
- Comparator
- control with no Zn appliede2
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“Zn treatments had a significant effect on grain Zn concentration (increase by up to 10%)”
e2“a control with no Zn applied”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc-treatment effects on grain yield varied.
- Taxon
- teffe0
- Treatment
- Zinc fertilizer treatmentse2
- Outcome
- grain yielde1
- Comparator
- control with no Zn appliede2
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“the effect on grain yield was variable”
e2“Zinc fertilizer treatments tested were Zn applied at planting (basal), basal plus side dressing and a control with no Zn applied”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain zinc concentrations differed across landscape positions inconsistently among sites and crops.
- Taxon
- teffe0
- Outcome
- crop Zn concentrationse1
- Qualifier
- not at all sites and cropse1
- Setting
- landscape positionse1
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“Differences in crop Zn concentrations along the landscape positions were observed but not at all sites and crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Higher soil pH and organic carbon were associated with more adsorption of applied zinc.
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“soils with higher soil pH and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) (typical of footslope landscape positions) tended to adsorb more applied Zn (reduce NET_FERT Zn) than soils with lower soil pH and SOC (typical of upslope landscape positions)”
Claim · model-written summary
Zinc availability indicators explained 14-52% of variation in grain zinc concentration.
- Taxon
- teffe0
- Outcome
- variation in grain Zn concentrationse1
- Value
- 14-52%e1
- Qualifier
- Zn availability indicators (M3, NET_FERT Zn, clay%)e1
Not reportedSettingDirection
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“Zn availability indicators (M3, NET_FERT Zn, clay%) explained 14-52% of the observed variation in grain Zn concentrations”
Claim · model-written summary
Macronutrient indicators with M3 zinc explained 16 to 32% of grain zinc uptake variability.
- Taxon
- teffe0
- Outcome
- grain Zn uptakee1
- Value
- 16 to 32%e1
- Qualifier
- macronutrient indicators (Total N, exchangeable K) together with M3 Zne1
Not reportedSettingDirection
Verbatim
e0“teff, wheat, and maize”
e1“macronutrient indicators (Total N, exchangeable K) together with M3 Zn were better in predicting grain Zn uptake (16 to 32% explained variability)”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize had the lowest grain zinc concentration.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize had the lowest grain Zn concentrations but the highest grain Zn uptake due to high yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize had the highest grain zinc uptake due to high yields.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize had the lowest grain Zn concentrations but the highest grain Zn uptake due to high yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Indigenous and fertilizer zinc together significantly affected cereal grain zinc loading.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“grain Zn loadings of cereals”
e1“the sum of indigenous and fertilizer Zn significantly affects grain Zn loadings of cereals”
The same questions in other papers
zinc atom · nutrient: content · Zea mays (maize)Results differ
198 papers in the same direction as this paper · 33 in the opposite direction · 3 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
- no effect
- negative
231 papers more in this group
See all 235 papers →zinc atom · nutrient: content · Triticum aestivum (wheat)Results differ
346 papers in the same direction as this paper · 33 in the opposite direction
- negative
- negative
- no effect
376 papers more in this group
See all 380 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.