Response of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), fingermillet (Eleusine coracana) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) to tank silt application and combined use oforganic matter and inorganic fertilizer under rainfed condition

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (khairt) season of 1992, 1993 and 1994 to study the effect of tank silt application and inorganic and or ganics on soil characteristics and yield of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) M oench], fingermillet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] and groundnut (Arachi s hypogaea L.) under dryland conditions of red soils of North-Western agroc limatic zone of Tamil Nadu. An application of 100 tonnes/ha of tank silt on ce during first year resulted in significantly higher yield and net income. Available nutrient status in all the 3 crops (sorghum, fingermillet and gr oundnut) improved. Similarly, providing recommended inorganic fertilizers w ith farmyard manure @ 10 tonnes/ ha recorded increased yield and net income compared with the control.