Growth and Yield Response of Bajra Napier Hybrid under Different Irrigation Regimes with Fertigation Levels and Sources

Abstract

Background: Livestock plays a significant role in Indian economy. Cattle population in India is higher (192.6 million), whereas the productivity is not. Quality fodder has to be supplied rather than costly concentrate feeds to reduce cost of production. Water being the important input of agriculture, its per capita availability (1829 m3) is reducing gradually. To improve the use efficiency drip irrigation is preferable rather than flood irrigation. Fertigation improves nutrient delivery and uptake in plants. Bajra Napier hybrid is a multicut perennial fodder grass grown in arid and semiarid region with high biomass yield. Methods: Experiment was conducted at college farm of Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai to study the growth and yield response of Bajra Napier under different irrigation regimes and fertigation levels. The treatments were laid out in split plot design, with three irrigation regimes in main plot and six fertigation treatments in sub plot. Result: The combination of 100% ETc with 100% RDF of NPK applied as water soluble fertilizer recorded higher morpho-physiological characters such as plant height, number of tillers and leaves per clump, leaf area index and green fodder yield, during the first two harvests. This might be due to more water availability at 100% ETc which lead to more water and nutrient uptake from the soil, In addition to that water soluble fertilizer at 100% RDF has more nutrient ratio and solubility. Positive correlation was observed between the growth parameters and green fodder yield, As the source and sink are the same in fodder crops.