Conserving moisture, cultivating profits: Evaluating the agro-economic response of finger millet to soil moisture conservation techniques under water-limited conditions

Abstract

A field study was conducted during the late Kharif season of 2024 at the All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture, located at the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), GKVK, Bengaluru. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of different soil moisture conservation methods on the growth performance, productivity, and economic returns of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) cultivated under rainfed conditions. The experiment included five treatments: crop/weed residue mulching (5 t/ha), dust mulching, Gliricidia residue mulching (5 t/ha), creation of corrugated furrows, and a control without any moisture conservation intervention. Among the treatments, Gliricidia mulching (T₃) emerged as the most effective, recording the greatest plant height (101.10 cm), number of tillers per plant (3.80), ear heads per plant (2.40), grain yield (8.75 kg/plot), and the highest benefit-cost ratio (2.90), significantly surpassing all other treatments. The findings highlight that incorporating organic mulches, particularly Gliricidia can substantially improve soil moisture retention, stimulate crop growth, and enhance economic viability for dryland farmers.