Determining the Effect of Potassium and Zinc on Growth and Yield of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted in Crop Research Farm (CRF) in Department of Agronomy during Zaid season 2023-24 on Pearl millet crop. The treatment consisted of Potassium (30, 40 and 50 Kg/ha) and Zinc (15, 20 and 25 kg/ha) and a control. The experiment was laid out with a Randomize Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments which are replicated thrice as T1 Potassium 30 kg/ha + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T2 Potassium 30 kg/ha + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T3 Potassium 30 kg/ha + Zinc 25 kg/ha T4 Potassium 40 kg/ha + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T5 Potassium 40 kg/ha + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T6 Potassium 40 kg/ha + Zinc 25 kg/ha, T7 Potassium 50 kg/ha + Zinc 15 kg/ha, T8 Potassium 50 kg/ha + Zinc 20 kg/ha, T9 Potassium 50 kg/ha + Zinc 25 kg/ha and a T10 Control. The soil of experiment plot was sandy loamy in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 6.8), low in organic carbon (0.46%), available N (225.42 kg/ha), available P2O5 (38.2 kg/ha) and available K2O (240.7 kg/ha). Application of Potassium 50 kg/ha + Zinc 25 kg/ha was recorded with the results which revealed that significantly highest growth attributes of Pearl millet at 80 DAS viz., Plant height (203.24 cm), dry weight (144.17 g), Ear head length (30.23 cm), grains/head (1848.78) and yield attributes such as Grain yield (4530.43 kg/ha), Stover yield (7246.59 kg/ha).