Effect of stress ameliorants on pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) growth and productivity under different moisture regimes

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University located in Coimbatore during summer 2021. The objectives of the study were to identify the effect of moisture stress at critical stages on growth and yield of pearl millet and to assess the effect of stress ameliorants on growth and productivity enhancement in pearl millet. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice with skipping irrigation at critical growth stages (M-Main plot factor) and foliar spray of stress ameliorants (S-Subplot factor). The main plot factor comprised of skipping irrigations at active tillering stage (M1), flowering stage (M2) and in both active tillering stage and flowering stages (M3) and adequate irrigation at all stages (M4). The subplot factor consisted of foliar spray of stress ameliorants viz., 1% Potassium chloride (KCl) on 20 and 40 days after sowing (S1), 100 ppm salicylic acid on 20 and 40 days after sowing (S2), 2% Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) on 20 and 40 days after sowing (S3), 1% Potassium chloride (KCl) on 20 days after sowing and 100 ppm salicylic acid on 40 days after sowing (S4), 1% Potassium chloride (KCl) on 20 days after sowing and 2% Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) on 40 days after sowing (S5) and water spray (S6) as control. The results showed that skipping irrigation at active tillering stage and flowering stage had severe effect on growth, phenology and productivity followed by skipping irrigation at flowering stage. Among stress ameliorants used, the foliar spray of 1% Potassium chloride (KCl) on 20 days after sowing and 2% Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) on 40 days after sowing recorded higher growth and yield followed by 2% Pink Pigmented Facultative Methylotrophs (PPFM) spray on 20 and 40 days after sowing. Lower grain yield was obtained under water spray.