Effect of Coir Pith Compost, Bone Meal Powder and Panchagavya on Growth, Chlorophyll Content and DMP of Barnyard Millet

Abstract

To investigate the effect of different organic nutrient sources on growth, chlorophyll content and dry matter production of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link) in sandy loam soil, a pot experiment was conducted at the Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Annamalai University during February-May, 2019. The weather at Annamalainagar was moderately warm with hot summer. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized block design (CRD) with nine treatments and three replications. The treatments of the study were T1– Control, T2 –100% RDF, T3 – Coir pith compost @ 10 t ha-1, T4 – Bone meal powder @ 1 t ha-1, T5 – Panchagavya @ 3 % (Foliar spray), T6 –T3 + T4, T7 – T4 + T5, T8 – T3 + T5 and T9 – T3 + T4 + T5. The results revealed that application of 100% RDF (N: P2O5: K2O @ 40:30:50 kg ha-1) (T2) recorded the highest plant height of 159.74 cm, number of leaves plant-1 (8.51), leaf area index (3.12), chlorophyll content (49.14) and dry matter production (472.30 g pot-1) at harvest stage. These were on par with T9 – CPC + BMP + PG.