Productivity, quality and soil fertility status as well as economics of multi-cut summer forage pearl millet as influenced by varying levels of irrigation and nitrogen

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during summer seasons of 2011 and 2012 on sandy loam soil at Sardarkrushinagar to study the effect of irrigation scheduling and nitrogen levels on multi-cut summer forage pearl millet. The results showed that of 2011 and 2012 as well as in pooled irrigation at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio producing significantly higher green fodder yield (1108.2 q/ha), dry matter yield (248.3 q/ha), crude protein content (9.7%) and yield (26.98 q/ha), available nitrogen (204.99 kg/ha) and phosphorus (38.64 kg/ha) over 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 ratios. However, water use efficiency (86.07 kg/ha) was higher with 0.8 IW/CPE ratio. The green fodder yield (1045.1 q/ha), dry matter yield (249.7 q/ha), crude protein content (10.6%), crude protein yield (26.77 q/ha), water use efficiency (87.66 kg/ha), available nitrogen (214.53 kg/ha) and phosphorus (41.23 kg/ha) were maximum at 200 kg N/ha compared to other levels (100 and 150 kg N/ha). The treatment combination of I4N3(1.2 IW: CPE ratio+200 kg N/ha) registered the highest net realization of (Rs. 99499/ha with B: C ratio (3.56). Consequently for higher productivity and profitability of multi-cut summer forage pearl millet, it should be grown with irrigation at 1.2 IW: CPE ratio and fertilized with 200 kg N/ha.