English

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research station, Bikaner during Kharif season 2015 to study the “Growth characters, fodder yield, quality and economics of pearl millet genotype as influenced by nitrogen levels”. Treatments comprising four pearl millet genotypes (PM A2-1, PM A2-2, PM A2-3, PM A2-4) and four nitrogen levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg/ha) were laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replication. The growth and fodder yield of pearl millet genotypes were influenced significantly with different nitrogen levels. The genotype Pm2-1 & Pm2-2 significantly show their superiority in plant stand, plant height and tillers compared to Pm2-3 &Pm2-4 and maximum green fodder yield, (689.5q/ha), net returns (Rs 68840/ha) and B: C ratio (1.97) was recorded with PM2-3 closely followed by Pm2-2. The dry matter yield (DMY) and crude protein content (%) was the highest in PM2-4, while fodder productivity was noted the maximum (10.98 q/ha/day) in PM2-2. Among nitrogen levels application of 60 kg N/ha significantly increase green fodder yield (GFY), dry matter yield (DMY), fodder productivity, net returns and B:C ratio. The application of 60 kg N/ha produced 61.32, 18.75 and 8.19 per cent higher green fodder yield and 32.36, 13.61, 4.30 per cent higher dry matter yield over 0, 30 and 90 kg N/ha respectively.