Influence of nitrogen, potassium and sulphur levels on growth, yield attributes and yield of forage pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.].

摘要

A field experiment on this crop (variety GFB 1) was conducted in R. B. D. with three replications during summer-monsoon seasons of 2003 and 2004 on different sites to study the influence of various levels of N, K and S. There were two levels of N viz., 100 and 150 kg/ha, three treatments of K viz., 0, 40 and 60 kg K₂O/ha applied either entirely as basal or 50% as basal and remaining in two equal splits after first and second cuts and three levels of S viz., 0, 20 and 40 kg S/ha. There were three cuts in each year. Initial available N, K and S contents in soil were low, medium and marginal, respectively, in their status. Yield of green forage and dry matter yields were increased by application of N, K and S. There was 31.8% increase in green forage yield due to nitrogen (N₂) over that of N₁ (521.4 q/ha), 9.8 and 19.4% increase for K₁ and K₂ over that of K₀ (550.7 q/ha) and 3.78 and 7.86% increase for sulphur S₁ and S₂ over that of S₀ (581.7 q/ha), respectively. Similarly, the dry forage yield was also increased. The yield increase due to N, K and S treatment was supported by increase in growth parameters such as tillers per metre row length, number of internodes per plant and plant height. The beneficial effect due to K particularly that of K2 may probably due to dominance of intensity factor in K supply mechanism.