Synergistic impact of integrated nutrient management practices on growth, yield, and economic performance of Kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum L.) under the agro-climatic conditions of Chitrakoot

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the Kharif season of 2024 at Nanaji Deshmukh Parisar Agriculture Farm, Chitrakoot, Satna (M.P.) to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management on Kodo millet (var. 'Kodo-155'). The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with nine treatments and three replications, combining three levels of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF: 0, 50, and 100%) with three levels of farmyard manure (FYM: 0, 5.0, and 7.5 t ha⁻¹). The results demonstrated that treatment T₉ [100% RDF + 7.5 t FYM ha⁻¹] produced significantly superior growth (plant height: 110.23 cm at 90 DAS, tillers: 10.4 m⁻¹) and yield attributes (plant weight: 7.42 kg, spikes plant⁻¹: 3.8), culminating in the highest seed yield (21.59 q ha⁻¹) and biological yield (52.36 q ha⁻¹). This treatment also registered the maximum net return (₹ 26,522 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (2.01). The application of 100% RDF + 5.0 t FYM ha⁻¹ (T₈) also resulted in a highly competitive yield (20.14 q ha⁻¹) and net return (₹ 23,719 ha⁻¹). It is concluded that the combined application of 100% RDF and 7.5 t FYM ha⁻¹ is a highly effective, efficient, and cost-effective nutrient management strategy for enhancing Kodo millet productivity and increasing yield potential in the nutrient-deficient sandy loam soils of the Chitrakoot region.