Potential of Various Organic Nutrient Management Practices for Augmenting the Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Finger Millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn]

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during kharif, 2016 on sandy loam soils of dry land farm of S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications. There were eight treatments viz., control (T1), 100% RDF (60:30:30 kg ha-1 N:P2O5:K2O) (T2), 100% N through farm yard manure (FYM) (T3), 100% N through FYM + seedling treatment with biofertilizers (Azospirillum+ PSB) (T4), Seedling treatment with beejamruta + soil application of jeevamruta @ 500 l ha-1 just after transplanting and at every 10 days interval upto 15 days before harvest (T5), Seedling treatment with beejamruta + foliar application of panchagavya @ 3% foliar spray at every 10 days interval up to 15 days before harvest (T6), T3 + T5 (T7) and T3+ T6 (T8). The test variety of finger millet was ‘Vakula’. The growth and yield attributing parameters i.e., plant height, leaf area index, number of tillers m-2 and dry matter production at harvest, number of productive tillers m-2 and ear weight, yield and economics of finger millet crop were found to be significantly influenced by various sources of nutrients. In conclusion, the investigation revealed that higher grain yield of finger millet as well as economic returns could be realized with 100% recommended dose of nutrients through fertilizers. Among the various organic sources of nutrients tried, 100% N through FYM + seedling treatment with beejamruta + soil application of jeevamruta @ 500 l ha-1 just after transplanting and at every 10 days interval up to 15 days before harvest (T7) was proved to be the most promising integrated organic nutrient management practice for higher yield, economics of finger millet along with maintenance of soil biological activity as well as fertility for the sustenance of soil ecology in the present domain of study.