Response of nutrient content and quality of summer forage pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) on sowing date and nitrogen level

Abstract

A field experiment entitled “Effect of sowing date and nitrogen level on growth and yield of summer forage pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)” was conducted on loamy sand soil at the Agronomy Instructional Farm, C. P. College of Agriculture, SDAU, Sardarkrushinagar during summer season of 2015. The experiment comprising sixteen treatment combinations were laid out in Split Plot Design and replicated three times. The treatment consisted combinations of four different date of sowing viz. 1st March (D1), 15th March (D2), 1st April (D3) and 15th April (D4) and four nitrogen levels viz. 80 kg/ha (N1), 100 kg/ha (N2), 120 kg/ha (N3), 140 kg/ha (N4). The recommended dose of phosphorus @ 40 kg ha-1 was applied uniformly to all the treatment as basal. The results reported that the crude protein content, crude fibre content, nitrogen content by summer forage pearlmillet crop did not differ significantly due to different date of sowing. While, the nitrogen uptake was significantly higher in sowing on March 15th and it was followed by sowing on March 1st.