Effect of zinc and spacing on growth and yield of pearl millet

Abstract

A field test was carried out during the Kharif season of 2024-25 at the Crop Research Farm, under the Agronomy Department at Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences. The main goal was to see how applying zinc and changing the distance between plants affects the growth and production of pearl millet. The study used three levels of zinc (10, 15, and 20 kg per hectare) and three different ways to space the plants (25 × 25 cm, 35 × 15 cm, and 45 × 10 cm). All treatments were combined with the standard fertilizer amount of 80-40-40 kg N-P-K per hectare, including a control group with no added zinc. The results showed that using 20 kg of zinc per hectare along with a spacing of 45 × 10 cm (treatment 9) greatly improved growth factors at 80 days after planting. These included taller plants (203.24 cm), more dry plant weight (144.17 g), longer ears (30.23 cm), and more grains per ear (1848.78). This treatment also produced the highest amount of grain (4530.43 kg per hectare), the most plant material (7246.59 kg per hectare), and the highest harvest index (38.46%), which was better than all other treatments.