EFFECT OF HYDROGEL ON GROWTH, YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN PEARLMILLET (PENNISETUM GLAUCUM) PRODUCTION
Harphool Singh*
Agricultural Research Station
Fatehpur-Shekhawati, Sikar-332 001 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail : hpsdvs@gmail.com)
(Received : 17 November, 2012, Accepted : 29 December, 2012)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Fatehpur-Shekhawati in three consecutive rainy (kharif) seasons of 2006-08) to study the effect of hydrogel on yield and water use efficiency in pearlmillet. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam, low in available nitrogen (168 kg/ha), medium in available phosphorus (21 kg/ha) and high in available potash (301 kg/ha) with 0.46 per cent organic carbon and alkaline (pH 8.2) in reaction. The experiment consisting of six treatments was conducted in randomized block design with four replications. The study revealed that effective tillers/plant, ear length, grain weight/earhead and test weight were significantly influenced by seed treatment with hydrogel. The grain, stover yield and WUE were also significantly influenced by the hydrogel application. The highest increase in grain yield was noted with seed coating with 20 g hydrogel+TU+DMSO followed by 20 g hydrogel, 10 g hydrogel+TU+DMSO and 10 g hydrogel per kg seed.
Key words : Hydrogel, geowth, yield, WUE, pearl millet