Influence of Phosphorus and Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Economics of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2022 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (U.P).The soil of the experimental field  was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH7.8), low level of organic carbon (0.62%), available N (225 Kg/ha), P (38.2 kg/ha) and K (240.7 kg/ha). To determine the “Influence of phosphorus and plant growth regulators on growth, yield and economics of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) to study the response of phosphorus levels viz (30 kg/ha), (40 kg/ha) and (50 kg/ha) with combination of 3 plant growth regulators viz. NAA (50ppm), Chlormequat chloride (250 ppm), Triacontanol (500 ppm). The experiment was laid out in RBD with 10 treatments each replicated thrice The results showed that significant and higher plant height (178.10cm), plant dry weight (69.60g) and crop growth rate (5.53 g/m2/day), relative growth rate (0.0058 g/g/day),higher ear head length (26.00 cm),maximum number of grains per ear head (1757.67), higher test weight (11.73 g), higher grain yield (2.69 t/ha), maximum stover yield (4.05 t/ha),higher harvest Index (39.96%),maximum gross return (INR 109625), net return (INR 74389) and B:C ratio (2.11) were observed in treatment 7 (Phosphorous50 kg/ha + NAA50 ppm).