RESPONSE OF MULTI-CUT SUMMER FORAGE PEARL MILLET (PENNISETUM GLAUCUM) TO VARYING LEVELS OF IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITION OF
NORTH GUJARAT
C.H. RAVAL, A.M. PATEL, P.K. BHATT, K.G.VYAS*, R.D.BEDSE, C.S.PATEL AND S.J.PATEL
Directorate of Research,
S. D. Agricultural University,
Sardarkrushinagar – 385 506 (Gujarat)
*(email: kgvyas09@gmail.com)
Received: 15 June 2015; Accepted: 28 June 2015
SUMMARY
A field experiment was conducted during summer season of 2011and 2012 on sandy loam soil at S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar to study theresponse of multi-cut summer forage pearlmillet (Pennisetumglaucum) to varying levels of irrigation and nitrogen under semi-arid condition of Gujarat. Twelve treatment combinations comprised four levels of Irrigation scheduling (0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 IW: CPE) and three levels of Nitrogen (100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1). The pooled results showed that irrigation levels at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio showed significant influence on growth attributes viz., plant height, number of tillers and leaf: stem ratio. The irrigation at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio resultedsignificantly higher green fodder (1192.34 q ha-1) and dry matter yield (288.37q ha-1)over other levels of irrigation. However, maximum water use efficiency (86.07 kg ha-1) was recorded with irrigation at 0.8 IW: CPE ratio. The net realization (RS.93963 ha-1) and B: C ratio (3.71) was recorded highest with Irrigation at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio. The N levels had significant effects on all the growth parameters like the plant height, number of tillers and leaf: stem ratio. Application of 200 kg N ha-1 gave significantly higher green forage yield (1145.19 q ha-1), dry matter yield (249.74 q ha-1), WUE (87.66 kg ha-1),net realization (RS.83015 ha-1) and B: C ratio (3.86) over 150 and 100 kg N ha-1. Consequently for higher productivity and profibility of multi-cut summer forage pearlmillet, it should be grown with irrigation given at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio and fertilized with 200 kg N ha-1.
Key words:Dry matter, forage yield, irrigation, nitrogen, pearl millet