*3.3. Grain Yield, Protein Yield and Micronutrient Uptake*

The grain yield was significantly affected at the individual crop level, while at system level it remained on par (Figure 3). Application of RDN + Zn recorded the highest yield in both crops, while the yield in 75% RDN + MC1 + Zn and 75% RDN + MC2 + Zn remained on par with RDN + Zn. The protein yield in wheat was higher than rice and this amount is 303 to 318 kg ha−<sup>1</sup> in the first year and 304 to 315 kg ha−<sup>1</sup> during the second year (Tables 6 and 7). The system protein yield varied between 456.7 and 999.1 kg ha−1, respectively, with the highest and lowest in RDN + Zn in ARS–ZTW and control in CDW–PTR, respectively (Table 8). In both rice and wheat, CEMs differed significantly in protein production with the highest protein in SRI in rice and ZTW in wheat. The increase in protein yield in PTR over ARS was 25.2 to 23.2 kg ha−1, while the same for ZTW over CDW and SWI was 86.2 to 88.3 kg ha−1. The order of significance for the variation in system protein yield was RDN > microbial consortia > Zn fertilization > CEMs, while their contribution to protein yield was 112.7–326.3 kg ha−1; 85.7–102.1 kg ha−1, 16.1–105.1 kg ha−<sup>1</sup> and 62–65 kg ha−1, respectively.

The uptake of all studied micronutrients was affected significantly due to CEMs in both rice (white rice kernel) and wheat (whole grain) (Tables 10–12). In rice, PTR and SRI remained on par with each other and were found statistically superior to ARS for all micronutrients. In wheat, ZTW recorded significantly higher micronutrient uptake than both CDW and SWI. Among nutrient management treatments, the uptake of Zn and Fe was significantly affected due to all treatment variables, while for Mn and Cu, the uptake remained on par in all treatments except control. The highest uptake of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu in rice was 45.42 g ha<sup>−</sup>1, 235.0 g ha−1, 24.78 g ha−<sup>1</sup> and 19.66 g ha−<sup>1</sup> (all in SRI), respectively. Similarly, for wheat it was 217.9 g ha−<sup>1</sup> for Zn, 528.2 g ha−<sup>1</sup> for Fe, 179.9 g ha−<sup>1</sup> for Mn and 35.84 g ha−<sup>1</sup> for Cu (all in ZTW), respectively.

**Figure 3.** Effect of crop establishment methods and nutrient management on grain yield of rice (**a**) and wheat (**b**) (pooled data over two years). (T1: Control, T2: RDN, T3: RDN + Zn, T4: 75% RDN, T5: 75% RDN + Zn, T6: 75% RDN + MC1, T7: 75% RDN + MC1 + Zn, T8: 75% RDN + MC2 and T9: 75% RDN + MC2 + Zn). RDN Recommended dose of nutrients 120 kg N ha−<sup>1</sup> and 25.8 kg P ha−1; Zn: Soil applied with 5 kg Zn ha−<sup>1</sup> through zinc sulphate heptahydrate; MC1: (*Anabaena* sp. (CR1) + *Providencia* sp. (PR3) consortia; MC2: *Anabaena-Pseudomonas* biofilmed formulations.



Within a column, means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability by the Duncan's multiple range test.


**Table 11.** Effect of nutrient management options on micronutrient uptake in rice in different crop establishment methods.

Within a column, means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability by the Duncan's multiple range test. "\*": Indicates significant different of treatments at the 0.05 level of probability by the Duncan's multiple range test; RDN \*: Recommended dose of nutrients 120 kg N ha−<sup>1</sup> and 25.8 kg P ha−1; Zn \*\*: Soil applied with 5 kg Zn ha−<sup>1</sup> through zinc sulphate heptahydrate; MC1: (*Anabaena* sp. (CR1) + *Providencia* sp. (PR3) consortia; MC2: *Anabaena-Pseudomonas* biofilmed formulations.


**Table 12.** Effect of nutrient management options on micronutrient uptake in wheat in different crop establishment methods.

Within a column, means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level of probability by the Duncan's multiple range test. "\*": Indicates significant different of treatments at the 0.05 level of probability by the Duncan's multiple range test; RDN \*: Recommended dose of nutrients 120 kg N ha−<sup>1</sup> and 25.8 kg P ha−1; Zn \*\*: Soil applied with 5 kg Zn ha−<sup>1</sup> through zinc sulphate heptahydrate; MC1: (*Anabaena* sp. (CR1) + *Providencia* sp. (PR3) consortia; MC2: *Anabaena-Pseudomonas* biofilmed formulations.
