Tillage and crop residue effects in rainfed pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in conjunction with sulphur fertilization under pearl milletIndian mustard (Brassica juncea) cropping system

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (kharif) seasons of 2013 and 2014 to find out the impact of till- age, crop residue and sulphur fertilization on growth, productivity and economics of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. Emend. Stuntz.]. Five tillage and residue management practices i.e. conventional tillage (CT) with 0, 2 and 4 t/ha crop residue; zero tillage (ZT) with 2 and 4 t/ha crop residue were allocated to main plots and four sulphur levels (0, 15, 30 and 45 kg S/ha) in sub-plots. Conventional tillage with 4 t/ha residue gave signifi- cantly higher growth parameters (plant height, dry-matter accumulation and leaf area index) and SPAD value at various growth stages of crop. This treatment also improved yield attributes of pearl millet, viz. length of earhead, grains weight/earhead and 1,000-grains weight and produced 24.3 and 16.6% higher grain and stover yields over CT without residue, respectively. The highest net returns (31.5 103 /ha) and Benefit: cost ratio (1.69) were com- puted in ZT with 4 and 2 t/ha residue, respectively. Results also revealed that increasing levels of sulphur up to 30 kg/ha significantly increased growth parameters, SPAD value, yield attributes and yield of pearl millet as com- pared to control. Application of 30 kg S/ha resulted in 15.6 and 20.4% higher grain and protein yield over the con- trol, respectively. Furthermore, the highest net returns (31.5 103 /ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.50) were also fetched with 30 kg S/ha.