Agronomic Evaluation of Straight and Customized Fertilizer Formulation in Different Pearl Millet Pennisetum glaucum L R Br emend Stuntz Hybrids

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at ICAR-All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet, Research Farm, Agricultural Research Station, Mandor, Jodhpur (Agriculture University, Jodhpur) during kharif seasons of 2019 and 2020. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) and replicated thrice. The experiment consisted of three fertility levels (Control, Nutrient supply through straight fertilizers and Nutrient supply through customized fertilizer) and seven different pearl millet hybrids ( MPMH 21 , MPMH 17 , RHB 177 , RHB 173 , HHB 67 (Improved) , HHB 197 and HHB 272 ). Findings based on pooled analysis of data exhibited that application of customized fertilizer substantially enhanced growth attributes viz., plant height (192.2 cm), days to 50% flowering (45.7 days), days to maturity (85.3 days), dry matter accumulation (72.72 g/plant) and total number of tillers/metre row length (24.0) over control. Interaction effect between fertility levels and hybrids on dry matter accumulation was found significantly positive. Hybrid RHB 173 attained maximum dry matter accumulation (76.42 g/plant) with the application of customized fertilizer on pooled basis. Further, addition of customized fertilizer substantially improved yield attributing characters viz., number of effective tillers/metre row length (22.6), ear head length (23.10 cm), ear head girth (26.66 mm) and 1,000 grains weight (9.53 g) over control. Application of customized fertilizer recorded markedly higher grain yield (2,010 kg/ha), straw yield (3,417 kg/ha), biological yield (5,426 kg/ha) and harvest index (37.02%) over control and straight fertilizer. Marked variations in N, P, K and Zn content in different plant parts have been noticed with the application of customized fertilizer. Application of customized fertilizer recorded markedly higher N (0.105, 0.105 and 0.099%), P (0.332, 0.281 and 0.261%), K (0.705, 0.585 and 1.235%) and Zn (45.27, 46.54 and 47.29 mg/kg) content in root, shoot and leaf of pearl millet over control. Additionally, significant improvement in crude protein content (11.34%) and protein yield (228.9 kg/ha) were also recorded with application of customized fertilizer over control on pooled basis. Application of customized fertilizer recorded markedly higher N (1.814 and 0.580%), P (0.263 and 0.125%), K (0.687 and 1.987%) and Zn (56.42 and 30.03 mg/kg) content in grain and straw of pearl millet over control. Interaction effect between fertility levels and hybrids on N, P and K content in grain and straw was found statistically significant. Hybrid RHB 173 recorded maximum N, P and K content in grain and straw by application of customized fertilizer on pooled basis. Albeit, hybrid HHB 67 Improved recorded greater Zn content in grain and hybrid HHB 197 recorded maximum Zn content in straw with the application of customized fertilizer. newlineMarked improvement in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc uptake by grain (36.62, 5.28, 13.82 kg/ha and 113.64 g/ha) and straw (19.86, 4.04, 67.96 kg/ha and 102.65 g/ha) was recorded with the application of customized fertilizer over control and straight fertilizers. Application of customized fertilizer substantially enhanced nutrient use indices of N, P, K and Zn viz., agronomic use efficiency (12.4, 24.9, 74.7 and 149.3), recovery efficiency (42.2, 13.3, 358.6 and 1.64%) and nutrient harvest index (64.7, 55.2, 16.9 and 52.4%) over control. Hybrid MPMH 17 substantially enhanced growth attributes viz., dry matter accumulation (66.85 g/plant) and total number of tillers/metre row length (22.4) over control. Further, the pearl millet hybrid MPMH 17 also recorded marked improvement in yield attributes viz., number of effective tillers/metre row length (21.2) and grain (1,958 kg/ha), straw (3,466 kg/ha) and biological (5,424 kg/ha) yields over rest of the hybrids. Marked variations in N, P, K and Zn content in different plant parts have been noticed among various pearl millet hybrids. Markedly higher N (0.106, 0.105 and 0.097) content in root, shoot and leaf of pearl millet was recorded by the hybrids MPMH 17 . Hybrid RHB 173 recorded significantly higher N (1.771 and 0.563%), P (0.250 and 0.122%) and K (0.638 and 1.842%) content in grain and straw of pearl millet over rest of the hybrids. Substantially higher nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc uptake by grain (34.60, 4.92, 12.65 kg/ha and 120.20 g/ha) and straw (19.47, 4.17, 65.23 kg/ha and 102.11 g/ha) was recorded by hybrid, MPMH 17 on pooled basis. Hybrid RHB 173 recorded marked improvement in nutrient use indices of N, P, K and Zn viz., agronomic use efficiency and (8.8, 17.7, 53.0 and 106.1), recovery efficiency (31.1, 9.3, 246.7 and 1.16%) on pooled basis. Post-harvest soil fertility analysis after pearl millet significantly improved available nitrogen (175.9 kg/ha), phosphorus (17.68 kg/ha), potassium (311.0 kg/ha) and zinc (0.53 mg/kg) with the application of customized fertilizer on pooled basis. Moreover, hybrid MPMH 21 significantly enhanced available nitrogen (168.7 kg/ha), phosphorus (16.37 kg/ha) and potassium (299.4 kg/ha) in the experimental soil after harvest of pearl millet on pooled basis. Economic analysis envisages, application of customized fertilizer fetched significantly higher gross return (`58,700/ha), net return (`36,307/ha) and B: C ratio (2.62) over control. Likewise, markedly higher gross return (`57,874/ha), net return (`37,711/ha) and B: C ratio (2.86) was obtained by hybrid, MPMH 17 on pooled basis. Thus, based on the findings of the present investigation, it may be inferred that fertilization of pearl millet hybrid MPMH 17 with customized fertilizer fetched higher productivity (2,391 kg grain/ha) and proved most remunerative (`47,031/ha net return and 3.10; B: C ratio) on pooled basis, respectively in Arid western plain zone of Rajasthan. newline newline