Fertilizer Recommendations for Pearl Millet through Soil Test Crop Response-integrated Plant Nutrition System Approach on Alfisol

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted in RBD with three replications at farmer's field which is located at Vagarai village, Dindigul district during February to May 2023 for refining the already existing Fertilizer Prescription Equations (FPEs) of hybrid pearl millet, which has been developed for Periyanaikenpalayam series to suit Palaviduthi soil series (Typic Rhodustalf). The performance of the pearl millet TNAU hybrid CO 10 was evaluated. The results of the experiment revealed that highest grain yield obtained from STCR - IPNS - 4.0 t ha-1, where farmyard manure along with inorganic fertilizers were combinedly applied. From the experimental data, basic parameters viz., nutrient requirement (NR), percent contribution of nutrients from soil (Cs), fertilizers (Cf) and FYM (Cfym) were computed. It has been found that the nutrient requirement for producing one quintal grain of pearl millet was 2.23 kg of N, 1.19 kg of P2O5, and 2.22 kg of K2O. The percent contribution from soil (Cs) and fertilizers (Cf) were 15.7 and 47.1 for N, 32.09 and 45.06 for P2O5, 10.04 and 66.71 for K2O respectively. Percent contribution from FYM was 36.09 for N, 16.84 for P2O5 and 33.29 for K2O. FPEs for Pearl millet were generated using these basic parameters through the Soil Test Crop Response based Integrated Plant Nutrition System (STCR-IPNS). Applying FYM at 12.5 t ha-1 combined with NPK fertilizers, was projected to result in a saving of 40, 21, and 27 kilograms of fertilizer N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively. Soil test-based fertilizer recommendations and integrated plant nutrient management will help farmers to conserve fertilizers as well as sustain soil health and high rates of productivity.