EFFECT OF TILLAGE AND MOISTURE-CONSERVATION PRACTICES ON PRODUCTIVITY, WATER-USE AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF PEARL-MILLET (PENNISETUM-GLAUCUM) ON LIGHT SOILS UNDER DRYLAND CONDITION

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season (kharif) of 1 989 and 1990 to study the effect of deep summer tillage with and witho ut incorporation of farmyard manure and soil mulching on grain yield, water use and water-use efficiency of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend. Stuntz]. Pearl millet yield varied significantly d ue to tillage practices only in 1990. The highest grain yield (2.25 to nnes/ha) was obtained with no summer ploughing and lowest (1.52 tonnes /ha) with chiselling + deep summer ploughing + farmyard manure. Season al water use was highest with no summer ploughing in both the years. W ater-use efficiency was highest (10.41 kg grain/ha-mm) with chiselling + deep summer ploughing + farmyard manure in 1989, and with no summer ploughing (6.0 kg grain/ha/mm) in 1990. Net return was highest (Rs 4 313 kg/ha) with deep summer ploughing + farmyard manure in 1989 and wi th no summer ploughing (Rs 4 852/ha) in 1990. However, net return/rupe e invested was highest with no summer ploughing in both the years, bei ng Rs 1.45 and 1.67 in 1989 and 1990 respectively. Soil mulching showe d beneficial effect on yield only in 1989. The highest grain yield (2. 30 tonnes/ha) was obtained with dust mulch, closely followed by straw mulch (2.18 tonnes/ha). Soil mulching caused considerable increase in water use and water-use efficiency only in 1989. Though dust mulch res ulted in higher seasonal water use than straw mulch, there was no mark ed difference between these 2 for water-use efficiency. Net return (Rs 4 601/ha) as well as net return/rupee invested (Rs 1.32) were highest with dust mulch in 1989. However, net return (Rs 5 965/ha) and net re turn/rupee invested (Rs 1.36) were highest with no mulch in 1990.