Effect of azotobacter and nitrogen application on growth and yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Abstract

The field experiment entitled “Effect of Azotobacter and Nitrogen application on Growth and Yield of Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)” was conducted during Kharif season of 2023 at the Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.) India. To study the Response of Azotobacter and Nitrogen on growth and yield of Pearl millet. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with ten treatment which have replicated thrice. The treatment details are as follow T1: Azotobacter (seed treatment) 20 g/kg + N: 40 kg/ha, T2: Azotobacter (seed treatment) 20 g/kg + N: 60 kg/ha, T3: Azotobacter (seed treatment) 20 g/kg + N: 80 kg/ha, T4: Azotobacter (soil inoculation) 5 kg/ha + N: 40 kg/ha, T5: Azotobacter (soil inoculation) 5 kg/ha + N: 60 kg/ha, T6: Azotobacter (soil inoculation) 5 kg/ha + N: 80 kg/ha, T7: Azotobacter (seed + soil) + N: 40 kg/ha, T8: Azotobacter (seed + soil) + N: 60 kg/ha, T9: Azotobacter (seed + soil) + N: 80 kg/ha, T10: Control (RDF) 80:40:40 NPK. The results obtained that the Application of Azotobacter (soil inoculation) 5 kg/ha along with N: 80 kg/ha (Treatment 6) recorded significantly higher plant height (201.31 cm), higher plant dry weight (79.19 g/plant), higher crop growth rate (16.76 g/m2/plant), higher number of tillers (3.08 tiller/plant), higher number of ear heads/plant (1.13), higher grain ear per head (1948.98 ear/head), higher test weight (8.05 g), higher grain yield (2.63 t/ha), higher stover yield (5.56 t/ha) higher harvest index (32.10%) and higher gross return (66279.5 INR/ha), higher net return (41736.5 INR/ha) and B:C ratio (1.70) were recorded in treatment-6 (Azotobacter (soil inoculation) 5 kg/ha + Nitrogen 80 kg/ha).