Effect of phosphorus and plant growth regulators on growth and yield of Pearl millet

Abstract

A field experiment titled “Effect of phosphorus and Plant Growth Regulators on growth and yield of Pearl millet” was conducted during Zaid season 2024 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences. The soil of experiment plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.8), low in organic carbon (0.44%) available nitrogen (234 kg/ha), available phosphorus (21.1 kg/ha) and available potassium (235.1 kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with ten treatment which are replicated thrice. The treatment combinations are T1: Phosphorus 40 kg/ha +NAA 40 ppm, T2: Phosphorus 40kg/ha + Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm, T3: Phosphorus 40 kg/ha + NAA 40 ppm+ Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm, T4: Phosphorus 60 kg/ha + NAA 40 ppm, T5: Phosphorus 60 kg/ha + Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm, T6: Phosphorus 60 kg/ha + NAA 40 ppm+ Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm, T7: Phosphorus 80 kg/ha +NAA 40 ppm, T8: Phosphorus 80 kg/ha + Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm, T9: Phosphorus 80 kg/ha + NAA 40 ppm + Chlormequat chloride 250 ppm and T10: Control. The result revealed that treatment 7 (Phosphorus 80 kg/ha +NAA 40 PPM) recorded significantly higher plant height (130.66 cm), higher plant dry weight (56.23 g) and at harvest, maximum number of earheads/m2 (26.33), maximum number of grains/earhead (1842), highest grain yield (3.56 t/ha) and highest stover yield (5.97 t/ha). Highest gross return (126218.29 INR/ha), net return (83828.29 INR/ha) and B:C ratio (1.98) was recorded in treatment 7 (Phosphorus 80 kg/ha +NAA 40 PPM) was found to be productive as well as economically feasible.