BHANUPRAKASH N., J. S. YADAV, ANIL KUMAR, SATPAL, AKSHIT, SUSHIL KUMAR* AND SURENDER KUMAR
Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Regional Research Station, Bawal, CCS Haryana Agricultural University
Bajra Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University,
Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
Forage Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University,
Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : puniasushil22@gmail.com)
(Received : 5 January 2022; Accepted : 15 March 2022)

SUMMARY

The effect of phosphate and zinc fertilization on fodder sorghum growth and growth indicators was investigated in this study. The experiment was set up in a split-plot design with four phosphorus levels in the main plot (T₁– Control, T₂– 7.5 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, T₃– 15 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, and T₄– 22.5 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1), and four zinc levels as sub-plot treatments (S₁– Control, S₂– 0.50 percent foliar spray of ZnSO₄ at 20-25 DAS, S₃– 0.75 percent foliar spray of Zn. At all growth phases, 22.5 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 (P₄) significantly increased the number of leaves and leaf area index as compared to 7.5 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 (P₂), 15 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1, and control treatments. Among different Zn treatments, the number of leaves and leaf area index was significantly higher with the application of 25 kg ZnSO₄ ha^-1 over foliar application of ZnSO₄ i.e. 0.5 %, 0.75 %, and control, at all growth stages whereas foliar treatments were at par with each other at 40 DAS, 60 DAS and at the cutting stage. With the application of 25 kg ZnSO₄ ha^-1, significantly greater LAI, LAD, CGR, RGR, and NAR were recorded compared to other zinc levels.

Key words: Fodder sorghum, phosphorus, zinc, growth indices, LAI, CGR, NAR

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