Response of alley-cropped pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) to nitrogen and zinc schedules under semi-arid regions Verma Kamlesh1, Prasad S.K.2, Singh M.K.2,*, Sharma Prashant3 1Ph.D. Scholar (Forestry), ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001 2Associate Professor, Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221 005 3Assistant Professor, Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173 230 *Corresponding author's Email: manoj.agro@bhu.ac.in
Online published on 29 November, 2023. Abstract Realizing the importance of tree-based cropping system and scheduling of nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) in the semi-arid region, an on-field trial was conducted with pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] during the rainy season of 2017 at RGS Campus of Banaras Hindu University, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. The trial was laid out in factorial randomized block design with 4 N and 4 Zn treatment applications in different schedules. The results revealed that, N scheduled at ¼ [basal] + ½ (3rd visible leaf (VL) + ¼ panicle extended in flag-leaf sheath (PEFLS) produced the most synergetic effect on growth and yield of pearl millet. The grain yield increased up to 65% compared to no N application. Conversely, Zn schedules did not significantly influence the growth parameters (except dry-matter), while Zn application at 2.5 kg/ha (basal) + 0.25% panicle initiation (PI) + 0.25% PEFLS recorded about 37% more grain yield, than no Zn application. Additionally, the maximum biological and straw yields recorded with 2.5 kg/ha (basal) + 0.25% panicle emergence (PE) + 0.25% milk stage (MS) Zn application compared to the other treatments. Moreover, N and Zn interacted significantly to produce synergetic effect on the dry-matter, test weight, grain, straw, and biological yields. The maximum grain yield was observed with conjunctive application of N at ¼ [basal] + ½ [3rd VL] + ¼ [PEFLS] and Zn at 2.5 kg/ha [basal] + 0.25% [PI] + 0.25% [PEFLS], whereas the maximum biological and straw yields were recorded with application of the N at ¼ [basal] + ½ [3rd VL] + ¼ [PEFLS] and Zn at 2.5 kg/ha [basal] + 0.25% [PE] + 0.25% [MS]. Top Keywords Alley cropping, N fertilizer, Pearl millet, Phenophase, Zn fertilizer. Top |