GANGADHAR NANDA* AND NILANJAYA
AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilization, PG College of Agriculture
RPCAU, Pusa-818425 (Bihar), India
*(e-mail : gnanda@rpcau.ac.in)
(Received : 02 August 2022; Accepted : 05 September 2022)
SUMMARY
A field investigation was undertaken at AICRP on Forage crops and utilization, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa during Kharif season, 2021 to study the response of pearl millet genotypes to different N levels. The experiment was conducted in factorial randomized block design with seven genotypes and four nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg N/ha) with three replications. The results revealed that genotype Dev-1 recorded 53.4, 58.8, 63.4% higher green forage yield (GFY), dry matter yield (DMY) and crude protein yield (CPY), respectively than national check and 17.2, 22.1 and 22.3% higher GFY, DMY and CPY, respectively than zonal check. Similarly, application of 90 kg N/ha recorded 5.8, 9.9 and 12.4% higher GFY, DMY and CPY, respectively than application of 60 kg N/ha. Among genotypes, JPM-18-1 had the highest agronomic efficiency of N (AEN) in term of GFY (334.96 kg GFY/kg N applied) and DMY (103.08 kg DM/kg N applied) while application of lower dose of N (30 kg/ha) recorded the highest respective AEN (292.27 kg GFY/kg N applied and 89.47 kg DM/kg N applied). Among genotypes, significantly higher net return (Rs.63708/ha) and B:C ratio (3.44) was achieved with genotype Dev-1. Among N levels, application of the highest dose (90 kg/ha) registered the highest net return (Rs. 55007/ha) and B:C ratio (3.07).
Key words: Pearl millet, green fodder yield, nitrogen use efficiency, quality, economics