Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer Doses and Pre Sowing Seed Treatments on Yield and Yield Attributing Characters in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L. Beauv)

Abstract

Background: Foxtail millet is considered as nutri-cereal and source of food, feed and fodder. Though it is grown in marginal conditions it can give the best production with the proper nutrient management for its cultivation. The objective of study was to identify the suitable seed quality enhancement method to increase grain yield of foxtail millet. Methods: During kharif 2017 and 2018 on black cotton soils at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, the experiment was conducted in field and laboratory with split plot design with four nitrogen doses as main plots such as N1- control, N2- 125 kg neem+1250 kg vermi compost /ha, N3- 50 kg urea+50 kg super phosphate and 50 kg murate of potash /ha + top dressing urea at 3–4 weeks after transplanting + 2% borax spray, N4- N2 + N3 and four pre sowing seed treatments as sub plots. The treatments were P1-control, P2- soaking in water for 8 hours by adopting seed to solution of 1:1 ratio,P3-seed soaking with 2% KH2PO4 for 8 hours by adopting seed to solution of 1:1 ratio, P4-seed treatment with 20% liquid Pseudomonas fluorescens. After pre sowing seed treatment, seed were sown in field with different nitrogen doses. Result: Results revealed that application of 50 kg urea+ 50 kg super phosphate and 50 kg murate of potash/ha + top dressing urea at 3–4 weeks after transplanting + 2% borax spray recorded significantly higher seed yield (3148 kg/ha) and in pre sowing seed treatment with 20% liquid Pseudomonas fluorescens (3019 kg/ha) than other treatments.