Plant Science Today, ISSN 2348-1900 (online) OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE HISTORY Received: 31 January 2023 Accepted: 21 April 2023 Available online Version 1.0 : 30 August 2023 Additional information Peer review: Publisher thanks Sectional Editor and the other anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Reprints & permissions information is available at https://horizonepublishing.com/ journals/index.php/PST/open_access_policy Publisher’s Note: Horizon e-Publishing Group remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional afiliations. Indexing: Plant Science Today, published by Horizon e-Publishing Group, is covered by Scopus, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, Clarivate Analytics, NAAS,UGC Care etc. See https://horizonepublishing.com/journals/ index.php/PST/indexing_abstracting Copyright: © The Author(s). This is an open- access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) CITE THIS ARTICLE Jahan U A, Kheya S A, Sarker U K, Kaysar M S, Sumon M H, Chaki A K, Uddin M R. Improving grain yield and quality by enhancing accumulation of zinc in rice under subtropical condition. Plant Science Today (Early Access). https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.2400 Abstract One of the primary abiotic factors limiting rice production is zinc (Zn) deficiency. Efective management of Zn in rice soils is crucial, as rice is a staple crop for many nations. To address this issue, a pot trial was conducted at the net house of the Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from December 2019 to May 2020. The trail aimed to assess the impact of zinc on yield performance and grain zinc content of rice. The experiment employed a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications, involving the applications of 6 diferent rates of Zn to 3 distinct varieties of boro rice. The result revealed that BRRI dhan28 exhibited superior yield and yield-related traits when treated with 12 kg Zn ha -1 . Meanwhile, the application of 10 kg Zn ha -1 resulted in the highest Zn content in the grain of BRRI dhan74, considering the quantity of Zn accumulated by the grain. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that applying 12 kg of Zn ha -1 is likely the optimal Zn management strategy to achieve outstanding performance in the rice cultivar BRRI dhan28. Furthermore, applying 10 kg of Zn ha -1 may enhance the Zn content of the grain in BRRI dhan74. Keywords Zinc, biofortification, boro rice, productivity, malnutrition Introduction Rice stands out as one of the world's most widely cultivated grains, constituting a substantial share of cereal consumption and production (1). Remarkably, over 50% of the global population depends on rice as a staple food (2). In the realm of nutrition, food security and economics, no other cereal grain holds greater importance than rice. However, ensuring food security in the face of a burgeoning global population presents a formidable challenge (3). Consequently, the development of novel strategies and techniques will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of rice production (4). However, as rice cultivation takes place in an increasingly precarious environment, it faces additional challenges, including nutritional deficiencies, moisture stress, pests and diseases infections, as well as weed infestations, all of which hinder its growth and diminish production. With the rising utilization of macronutrient (NPK) fertilizers and the widespread cultivation of high-yielding rice varieties in recent years, several secondary micronutrients have been rapidly depleted from the soil, leading to shortages of these vital elements in various regions of the country PLANT SCIENCE TODAY ISSN 2348-1900 (online) Vol x(x): xx–xx https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.2400 HORIZON e-Publishing Group Improving grain yield and quality by enhancing accumulation of zinc in rice under subtropical condition Umme Atia Jahan 1 , Sinthia Afsana Kheya 1 , Uttam Kumer Sarker 1 , Md. Salahuddin Kaysar 1 , Mahmud Hossain Sumon 2 , Apurbo Kumar Chaki 3 & Md. Romij Uddin 1* 1 Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymeingh-2202, Bangladesh 2 Department of Soil Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymeingh-2202, Bangladesh 3 On Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh *Email: romijagron@bau.edu.bd RESEARCH ARTICLE