EFFECT OF PLANT-DENSITY AND SOIL FERTILITY ON PEARL-MILLET UNDER DROUGHT AND GOOD RAINFALL SITUATIONS

Pearl millet (var. BJ 104) was grown in a drought and a good rainfall year with four plant densities (30,45,60 and 75 cm rows providing abou t 2.17 x 10(5) to 0.91 x 10(5) plants ha-1) under low (20 kg ha-1 each of N and P(2)0(5)) and improved (80 kg ha-1 each of N and P(2)0(5)) s oil fertility conditions. Crop performance, water use and nutrient upt ake were better due to more favourable soil moisture conditions during the good, as compared to the drought year. However, in both the years increased row spacing progressively increased the height, tiller numb er, leaf area, dry matter, grain yield and N and P uptake plant-1. Wat er use increased with increased row spacing in a good rainfall year bu t was unaffected by plant population in the drought year. The improved performance of individual plants could possibly be attributed to larg er availabilities of moisture and nutrients under wider row spacing. H owever, a decrease in plant population below ca. 1.45 x 10(5) plants h a-1 or 45 cm row spacing reduced the dry matter production, grain yiel d, leaf area index, water use efficiency and uptake of N and P per uni t of area in both the years. It seems that improved performance of ind ividual plants under wider spacing could not compensate for the losses accrued due to a decrease in plant population per unit area beyond a point. Improved soil fertility imparted significant beneficial effects , per plant or per unit area, in both the years. However, the magnitud e of this effect was less in the drought year.