Effect of nitrogen and cutting management on growth, yield and quality of fodder pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) cultivars

A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years on fodder pearl millet during kharif season of 2012, 2013 and 2014 at Bikaner to find out the Effect of nitrogen and cutting management on growth, yield and quality of fodder pearl millet cultivars. The treatment consists of three pearl millet cultivars viz., BAIF Bajra 1, AVKB 19 and GFB 1; three cutting management practices viz. no cut, one cutting at 40 DAS and two cuttings at 40 and 80 DAS; and two levels of nitrogen viz., 100% RDN (60 kg/ha) and 150% RDN (90 kg/ha). The results showed that maximum plant height (182.07 cm) and yield attributes viz., tillers/m row length (35.11) and leaf stem ratio (2.66) of fodder pearl millet was recorded by ‘cultivar, AVKB 19’ whereas maximum yield viz., green fodder (211.68 q/ha), grain (15.16 q/ha) and dry matter (44.56 q/ha) yield were recorded with pearl millet cultivar GFB-1. The study on cutting management indicated that plant height (165.83 cm), tillers/m row length (45.57), and after two cut for fodder gave the highest green fodder (311.77 q/ha), dry matter (68.82 q/ha) and crude protein (10.54 q/ha) yield, nitrogen uptake (224.09 kg/ha) and net return (Rs. 78380/ha). Further, higher plant height (165.67 cm); yield attributes viz., tillers/m row length (30.89) and leaf: stem ratio (2.31); yield viz., green fodder (200.17 q/ha), stover (63.14 q/ha), grain (12.92 q/ha) and dry matter (41.69 q/ha) yield; quality parameters viz., crude protein per cent (7.76%) and yield (7.06 q/ha); nitrogen uptake (193.22 kg/ha) and economics viz., net return (Rs. 74772/ha) and B: C ratio (4.22) were recorded with 150% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen). Similarly, interaction effect of variety and cutting and nitrogen and cutting management had significant effect on green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yield. Pearl millet variety GFB-1 with two cuts for green fodder was superior in respect of dry matter production, crude protein yield, and nitrogen up take as well as net returns to all other varieties along with different cutting management.