Effect of Planting Distances and Nitrogen Fertilization on Growth, Forage Yield and Quality of Millet Crop

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in Al-Rumaitha district of Al-Muthanna Governorate during the summer agricultural season 2022, to study the effect of planting distances between lines and levels of nitrogen fertilization on the growth and yield of millet crop. The experiment was applied using the randomized complete block design (R.C.B.D) according to the arrangement of split panels, as nitrogen fertilization levels (0, 25, 50, and 75) kg N ha-1 occupied the main panels, and the distances between plants were (40, 50, and 60 and 70 cm for the secondary panels. The results showed a significant superiority of the fertilizer level 75 kg N ha-1 by giving it the highest averages for the yield of green forage and the number of leaves per plant amounted to 11.79 tons ha-1, 29.42 tons ha-1, respectively. While the fertilizer level was superior to 50 kg N ha-1 by giving it the highest average of dry fodder yield and the total number of tillers M-2, whose averages were 3.67 tons ha-1 and 1562.15 N ha-1 respectively, and the distance 70 cm excelled by giving it the highest average number of leaves in Plant and leaf area of the plant with averages of 31.00 leaf-1, 456.15 cm2, respectively. While the distance 40 cm excelled by giving it the highest averages for the yield of dry fodder for the plant, the total number of tillers m2, and the height of the plant, as its averages were 3.78 tons ha-1, 1622.80 tillers m-2, and 57.84 cm, respectively. As for the interaction between the two factors, the combination (50 cm x 75 kg N ha-1) excelled in the yield of green forage for the plant and the number of tillers m-2 reached an average of 15.21 tons ha-1 1963.10 m-2 harrows, respectively. While the combination (70 cm X 50 kg N ha-1) gave the highest mean for the number of leaves in the plant, which amounted to 40.00 leaf plant-1, and the combination (40 cm X 50 kg N ha-1) recorded the highest mean for dry fodder yield, which reached 4.85 tons ha-1.