Differential Levels of Fertilizer and Row Spacing Affects Growth and Yield of Brown Top Millet [Brachiaria ramosa (L.)] in Entisols of Bastar Plateau Zone of Chhattisgarh

Abstract

The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with 3 levels of fertilizer as main plot and 4 levels of row spacing as sub plot with 3 replications. Results showed that the highest values of fingers plant -1 (9.9), finger length (16.3 cm), leaves plant -1 (11.5), leaf length (18.1 cm), leaf area index (1.36), grains finger -1 (519), biological yield (53.3 q ha -1 ), grain yield (6.4 q ha -1 ) and straw yield (46.9 q ha -1 ) were recorded under 125% of RDF. These parameters increased significantly with the increase in level of fertilizer from 75 to 100 and 100 to 125% of RDF. The plant height and harvest index were recorded significantly higher under 125% of RDF than 100% RDF but 100 and 75% of RDF was at par with each other. The tillers plant -1 and leaf width under 125% of RDF were significantly higher than 75% of RDF but at par with 100% RDF. The test weight under 125% of RDF was at par with 100% RDF and significantly higher than 75% RDF. The highest values of plant height (106.9cm), leaf area index (1.49), biological yield (68.3 q ha -1 ), grain yield (7.4 q ha -1 ) and straw yield (60.9 q ha -1 ) were recorded under 22.5 cm row spacing and these parameters increased significantly with narrowing the row spacing from 60 to 45, 45 to 30 and 30 to 22.5cm except plant height where 60 and 45cm spacing were at par. The highest values of tillers plant -1 (6.0), secondary tillers plant -1 (7.0), fingers plant -1 (11.2), finger length (15.9 cm), leaves plant -1 (11.4), leaf width (2.2 cm), leaf length (17.5 cm) and grains finger -1 (485) were recorded under 60 cm of row spacing and these parameters decreased significantly with narrowing the row spacing from 60 to 45, 45 to 30 and 30 to 22.5cm except secondary tillers where 22.5 and 30cm was at par, leaves plant -1 where 30 and 45 cm was at par and leaf width where 22.5 and 30cm and 45 and 60cm were at par. The leaf area index responded significantly to higher doses of fertilizer i.e. 100 and 125% of RDF at each level of row spacing. The leaf area index didn't respond to lower level of fertilizer i.e. 75% of RDF under wider row spacing i.e. 60 cm. Narrowing the row spacing from 45 to 30 or 22.5 cm, responded significantly to each and all the levels of fertilizer under study. K e y w o r d sBrown top millet, Row spacing, Fertilizer doses, Entisols

Optimizing Kodo Millet (Paspalum Scrobiculatum) Yield: Impacts of Sowing Dates, Row Spacing and Fertilizer Levels

“…This improvement facilitates effective dry matter partitioning and enhanced translocation to the sink, resulting in the formation of more filled grains and largersized grains in the ear head, ultimately leading to higher ear head weight, ear head length, and test weight. These findings are consistent with the results reported by Basavarajappa et al (2002), Mubeena et al (2020) and Siddiqui et al (2020).…”

Influence of Date of Sowing, Row Spacing and Fertilizer Levels on Yield and Economics on Brown Top Millet (Brachiaria Ramosa L.)

“…Better growth characteristics such as tillers, leaf area and leaf area index of the crop, effective dry matter partitioning, and enhanced translocation to the sink leading to the formation of more filled and large-sized grains in the ear head, which in turn resulted in higher ear head weight, ear head length and test weight, may be attributed to improved yield parameters, i.e., ear head weight, ear head length and test weight with greater fertiliser levels. This was in conformity with the findings of Basavarajappa et al (2002), Mubeena et al (2020) and Siddiqui et al (2020). Plants at wider row spacing exploited maximum natural resources efficiently, besides responding to externally applied inputs and expresses its maximum potential compared to plants at closer spacing where competition would be high.…”

Browntop Millet (Brachiaria ramosa): An Overview of the Underutilized Miraculous Multifunctional Millet

“…21 It is an annual warm-season crop which has an average yield of 12.13 g per plant. It is majorly grown in sandy soil with a combination of organic and inorganic manure 22 but also grows fairly well in entisols of Chhattisgarh. 20 They too contain flavonoids like tannins, flavonoids and quinones.…”