EFFECT OF CROP GEOMETRY AND DRIP IRRIGATION LEVELS ON
PEARL MILLET (PENNISETUM GLAUCUM)
S. R. BHUNIA, MOHD. ARIF, I. M. VERMA, K. BALAI, SHISHRAM DHIKHWAL AND N. C. SHARMA
College of Agriculture
S. K. Rajasthan Agricultural University
Bikaner-334 006 (Rajasthan), India
*(e-mail : srbhuniarau@gmail.com; **arifkhan.ag782@gmail.com)
(Received : 21 May 2015; Accepted : 13 September 2015)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2012 at Niche Area Excellence Farm, S. K.
Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner to study the effect of crop geometry and drip irrigation levels on pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). The treatments consisted of three drip irrigation schedules viz., 40, 60 and 80 per cent ETc, three crop geometry viz., normal sowing in 60 cm drip line spacing, paired row sowing at 120 cm drip line spacing and normal sowing at 120 cm drip line spacing and a control with surface irrigation in normal sowing. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design and replicated thrice. The study indicated that there was increase in yield attributes, seed, straw and biological yield with increase in irrigation levels from 40 to 80 per cent ETc and 60 and 80 per cent ETc gave at par yield but superior to surface irrigation. The study further revealed that highest water use efficiency was recorded with drip irrigated crop as compared to surface irrigated crop. Crop geometry also significantly influenced the seed yield, straw yield, biological yield and water use efficiency. Highest seed yield, straw yield, biological yield and water use efficiency were recorded with normal sown crop at 60 cm drip line spacing which was at par with paired row sown crop at 120 cm drip line spacing.
Key words:Drip irrigation, crop geometry, pearl millet, seed yield, water use efficiency