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Zinc status was assessed in soil and plants under sugarcane cultivation in taluka Nawabshah during 1997-98. For this purpose fifty sites were sampled at depths of 0 to 15 and 15 to 30 cm, while plant samples recent mature leaves from the third top in sugarcane were collected from the same sites. Soil was analyzed for different physico-chemical properties and available zinc. However, plant samples were tested for zinc content only. The data revealed that most of the soil samples were heavy in texture; only few were light to medium in texture. It was further observed that the soils of the area were calcareous (CaCO3 = 15.43 to 15.40%), non-saline (EC = 0.82 to 0.91 dS m-1), alkaline (pH = 7.80 to 7.78) in reaction and low in organic matter (1.02 to 0.76%). The availability of zinc in soils was low and 98% soils were deficient in this element. The plant analysis, however, showed entire different results. Most of the plant samples (84%) were sufficient and only 16% were deficient in zinc content. The present study thus indicated that sugarcane plant has ability to absorb the required quantity of zinc from the soil within its growing season.
