RESPONSE OF PEARL MILLET TO RHIZOSPHERE BIOFERTILIZERS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION OF AZOTOBACTER ISOLATE UNDER RAINFED SITUATION
SAVITA MEHRA, ANIL KUMAR*, NEELAM AND PARVEEN KUMAR
Bajra Section, Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding
CCS Haryana Agricultural University,
Hisar-125004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail: anilbajra2009@gmail.com)
(Received : 4 March 2019; Accepted : 29 March 2019)
SUMMARY
The field experiment entitled “Response of pearl millet to Rhizosphere bioferilizers and foliar application of isolate under rainfed conditions” was conducted during the kharif season of 2016 at the Research Farm Area of Genetics and Plant Breeding of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar with the objective to study the effect of different bio-inoculants (Biomix and Azotobacter) as seed treatment or foliar application along with and without recommended inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield, quality, microbial counts and economics of pearl millet. Twelve different nutrient management combinations i.e. T1 (Control), T2 (Seed treatment with Biomix), T3 (Foliar spray of Azotobacter) isolate JFS5 @ 108cfu/ml at 15 DAS , T4 ( Foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu/ml at 30 DAS) , T5 (RDF (40 kg N + 20 kg P2O5/ha) , T6 (75 % RDF (30 kg N + 15 kg P2O5/ha) , T7 (T5 + seed treatment with Biomix), T8 (T5 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu/ml at 15 DAS), T9 (T5 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu/ml at 30 DAS) , T10 (T6 + seed treatment with Biomix ), T11 ( T6 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108cfu/ml at 15 DAS) and T12 (T6 + foliar spray of Azotobacter isolate JFS5 @ 108 cfu/ml at 30 DAS) was laid out in randomized block design along with three replications. The combined application of Biomix bio-inoculants along with RDF (T7) significantly delayed various phenological events; wherein 50 percent flowering and physiological maturity was delayed by 4.0 and 3.7 days, respectively by this treatment compared to control. The yield attributing parameters [number of ear heads/plant, ear head length (cm), ear head girth (mm), test weight (g)] were also recorded significantly highest under this treatment T7. The pearl millet grain and dry fodder yield were increased by 44.2% (33.40 q/ha) and 42.4% (81.50 q/ha), respectively under T7 treatment over the control (18.64 q/ha grain; 46.95 q/ha dry fodder yield).
Key words: Pearl millet, Biomix, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Phosphate solubilizing bacteria, phyllosphere, Phenology, Yield attributes, Grain & Stover Yield