BHANUPRAKASH N., J. S. YADAV, ANIL KUMAR, SATPAL, AKSHIT* AND SURBHI
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
RRS Bawal, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
Bajra Section, Department of Genetics and Plant breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
College of Agriculture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
*(e-mail: akshitrathore43@gmail.com)
(Received : 10 April 2021; Accepted : 25 June 2021)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was carried out at RRS, Bawal (Haryana), India to evaluate the phosphorus and zinc fertilization effect on yield and quality of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) during Kharif, 2018 with variety HJ 541, experiment was laid out in split plot design. Treatments comprised of four phosphorus levels in main plot i.e. Control, 7.5 kg P2O5/ha, 15 kg P2O5/ha and 22.5 kg P2O5/ha and four zinc levels in sub plot viz. Control, 0.50 % foliar spray of ZnSO4 at 20-25 DAS, 0.75 % foliar spray of ZnSO4 at 20-25 DAS and 25 kg ZnSO4/ha as basal dose. It was observed that significantly higher plant height and number of tillers/meter row length were recorded with application of 22.5 kg P2O5 ha-1 and 25 kg @ ZnSO4/ha at 20, 40 and 60 DAS over comtrol. Further, the green and dry fodder yield of sorghum was significantly influenced by different levels of phosphorus. Application of 22.5 kg P2O5 ha-1 recorded significantly higher the green and dry fodder yield over 7.5 kg P2O5/ha, 15 kg P2O5/ha and control treatments. The basal application of ZnSO4 @ 25 kg/ha recorded significantly higher green and dry fodder yield of forage sorghum over foliar applications of ZnSO4 @ 0.50 %, 0.75 % and control. Crude protein content of forage sorghum was improved progressively with increasing levels of phosphorus and zinc.
Key words:Forage sorghum, phosphorus, zinc, green fodder and dry fodder