Ml. Jat et Rc. Gautam, Effect of summer ploughing and in-situ moisture-conservation practices on growth and yield of rainfed pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum), I J AGRON, 45(4), 2000, pp. 722-727
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season (kharif of 1997 an
d 1998 with hybrid 'Pusa 322' peadmillet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. em
end. Stuntz]. The treatments comprised 3 summer ploughing (no summer plough
ing, summer ploughing, summer ploughing + FYM + herbicide + insecticide) an
d 6 in-situ moisture-conservation methods (uniform row sowing, paired row s
owing, ridge and furrow sowing, organic mulch, kaolin spray and mulch + kao
lin). Significant increase in growth and yield of pearlmillet was observed
owing to summer ploughing and the maximum grain yield was recorded under su
mmer ploughing + FYM + herbicide + insecticide (22.70 and 25.09 q/ha in 199
7 and 1998 respectively). Straw mulch + kaolin spray was found on a par wit
h straw mulch alone and kaolin spray alone for grain yield during both the
years. The increase in grain yield of peadmillet owing to straw mulch + kao
lin spray was 9.93 and 10.33 q/ha over uniform row sowing and 7.34 and 5.02
q/ha over ridge and furrow sowing in 1997 and 1998 respectively. Growth an
d yield-attributing characters showed similar trend. The soil-moisture depl
etion pattern was Influenced by summer ploughing and moisture-conservation
treatments only during 1998. Irrespective of the treatment applied, maximum
soil moisture was depleted from top 0-30 cm soil layer and the lowest bein
g from 60-90 cm soil layer.