Abstract

Field experiments conducted during kharif (September-December) 1997 and 1998 on rainfed pearlmillet at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatroe revealed that grain yield of pearl millet was reduced by intercropping cowpea and sunflower compared to sole stand. The pearl millet + cowpea intercropping resulted in significantly lower pearl millet grain equivalent yield compared to pearl millet as sole crop or pearl millet sunflower intercropping. Pearl millet yield was significantly lower in unfertilised control. Grain yield of pearl millet was significantly enhanced by addition of 60 kg N ha-1. Further addition of 30 kg P2O5 ha and 20 kg ZnSO4 ha-1, resulted in additional yield under rainfed conditions.

Keywords: Pearl millet, Intercropping, Nutrient management, Yield attributes, Yield.