Effect of nano urea on yield and nutrient uptake of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2024 at the College of Agriculture, Bheemarayanagudi, UAS, Raichur to evaluate the effect of nano urea on foxtail millet. The experiment was laid out in an RCBD with eight treatments and replicated thrice. Significantly higher yield and yield parametersviz., ear head length, ear head weight, number of ear heads, number of productive tillers, grain yield and straw yield (22.53 cm, 8.14 g plant-1, 35.7 m-2, 3.57 plant-1, 1969kg ha-1 and 5809 kg ha-1, respectively) were recorded with soil application of 100% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 4 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS, while it was remained on par with soil application of 100% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 2 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS and treatment receiving 100% RDN + 1% conventional urea spray at 30 and 45 DAS. The significantly lower yield and yield parameters (11.57 cm, 4.00 g plant-1, 15.3 m-2, 1.53 plant-1, 1103kg ha-1 and 3110 kg ha-1, respectively) were recorded with soil application of 50% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 2 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS. Soil application of 100% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 4 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS recorded significantly higher nitrogen content in grain and straw (1.87% and 0.61%, respectively) and nitrogen uptake (72.25 kg ha-1), phosphorus content in grain and straw (0.52% and 0.30%, respectively) and phosphorus uptake (27.67 kg ha-1) and potassium content in grain and straw (0.50% and 0.86%, respectively) and potassium uptake (59.81 kg ha-1), while it was remained on par with 100% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 2 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS and treatment receiving 100% RDN + 1% conventional urea spray at 30 and 45 DAS. The significantly lower nutrient content and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were recorded with soil application of 50% RDN + foliar spray of nano urea @ 2 ml l-1 at 30 and 45 DAS.