Effect of integrated nutrient-management and dates of sowing on nutrient uptake and yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

Abstract

A study was conducted at during the rainy season of 2014 and 2015 at Hyderabad, Telangana, to study the effect of integrated nutrient management and dates of sowing on pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Pearl millet crop was raised with 3 integrated nutrient management as main treatments, i.e. M1 [100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), M2 (100% RDF + FYM @ 5 t/ha) and M3 (100% RDF + pressmud @ 2.5 t/ha), and 4 sowing dates as subtreatments, viz. D1, 15 June; D2, 30 June; D3, 15 July and D4, 30 July. Out of the 3 integrated nutrient-management treatments, 100% RDF + pressmud @ 2.5 t/ha, i.e. M3, improved the growth parameters, viz. plant height, dry-matter production and, leaf-area index, as well as yield attributes like ear length, weight of grains/ear and 1,000grain weight which consequently resulted in the highest grain, straw yield, harvest index and nutrient uptake of pearl millet in comparison to the other main treatments. Among dates of sowing, pearl millet sown on 30 June (D2) recorded greater plant height (162.1 cm), dry-matter production (8305 kg/ha), leaf-area index (1.66), ear length (26), weight of grains/ear (16.2) and 1,000-grain weight (7.2), as well as grain yield (3242), straw yield (5360), and harvest index (38.1) compared to other dates of sowing during both the years of experiment.