Sk. Kaushik et K. Lal, RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF MULCHES AND ANTI-TRANSPIRANTS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF RAIN-FED PEARL-MILLET (PENNISETUM-GLAUCUM), Indian Journal of Agronomy, 42(1), 1997, pp. 104-106
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 1
991 and 1992 to study the relative performance of 2 mulches (straw and
mulch) and 3 anti-transpirant (kaolin, atrazine and hico emulsion) al
one and in combination in terms of yield and water-use efficiency of p
earl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend Stuntz]. Polytheme m
ulch + kaolin spray gave the highest grain yield (20.38 q/ha) and show
ed the maximum improvement in water-use efficiency (7.73 grain kg/ ha-
mm). Maximum net return (Rs 1,284/ha) was also obtained with polythern
e mulch + kaolin spray, followed by straw mulch + kaolin spray (Rs 1,1
88/ha) compared with the control. Anti-transpirants did not prove adva
ntageous when applied alone.