RELATIVE EFFICIENCY OF MULCHES AND ANTI-TRANSPIRANTS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF RAIN-FED PEARL-MILLET (PENNISETUM-GLAUCUM)

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.