Effect of fertility levels and plant population on yield and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in lateritic soil of West Bengal

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Regional Research Sub-Station, Sekhampur, Birbhum, West Bengal, during the rainy season of 1994 and 1995 to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus at different plant densities on grain yield and N, P and K uptake by 'WR 5' finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.]. Grain and straw yields were significantly increased by increasing the dose of nitrogen and phosphorus. The combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus did not show any significant effect on grain yield of finger millet, although the application of N along with @ 60 kg/ha gave higher yield, it was at par with grain yield recorded by single application of N @ 60 kg/ha. The wider spacing of 25 cm × 10 cm had significant effect on grain yield with or without nitrogen or phosphorus compared with closer spacing of 25 cm × 8 cm or 25 cm × 6 cm. However, combined application of N and P at different spacing levels did not show any significant results on straw yield. Uptake of N, P and K by grain and straw was also significantly increased with the increase in N and P. The higher dose of nitrogen @ 60 kg/ha at wider spacing of 25 cm × 10 cm increased NPK content in grain and straw than the same dose at closer spacing of 25 cm × 6 cm of finger millet.