Effect of fertilizer levels and plant spacing on yield attributes and yield of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea L.)

Abstract

An experiment entitled “Response of Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea L.) to Fertilizer Levels and Spacings” was conducted at P.G. Research Farm, Agronomy Section, RCSM College of Agriculture, Kolhapur during the rabi season of 2023. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. Fifteen treatment combinations including three plant spacing as main plot treatments, S1: 30 x 10 cm, S2: 45 x 10 cm and S3: 60 x 10 cm and five fertilizer levels as sub-plot treatments, F1: 125% RDF (50:25:00 N, P2O5, K2O Kg ha-1), F2: 100% RDF (40:20:00 N, P2O5, K2O Kg ha-1), F3: 75% RDF (30:15:00 N, P2O5, K2O Kg ha-1), F4: 100% GRDF (RDF + FYM @ 5 t ha-1), F5: Absolute Control and were used. Among the plant spacings S3 (60 x 10 cm) yielded the best results for yield attributes like number of panicles plant-1 (4.38), weight of panicle plant-1 (25.69), seed yield plant-1 (17.33), test weight (3.22). Whereas significantly superior grain yield (17.67 q ha-1), straw yield (32.20 q ha-1) and harvest index (35.06%) was observed at a plant spacing of 30 x 10 cm against other plant spacing. The obtained result showed that the fertilizer level F1: 125% RDF (50:25:00 N, P2O5, K2O Kg ha-1) recorded higher yield attributing characters viz., number of panicles plant-1 (4.32), weight of panicle plant-1 (25.24), seed yield plant-1 (17.54), test weight (3.21), grain yield (17.26 q ha-1), straw yield (30.34 q ha-1) and harvest index (36.16%) followed by fertilizer level F4: 100% GRDF (RDF + FYM @ 5 t ha-1). Interaction effect between fertilizer levels and spacing was found significant in number of panicles plant-1, weight of panicle plant-1, seed yield plant-1, grain yield (q ha-1), straw yield (q ha-1).