Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the Department of Forage Crops, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, for three years from 1993 to 1996 to study the effect of biofertilizers, viz., Azospirillum and Phosphobacterium, either individually or in combination (mixture) along with 100, 75 and 50 per cent recommended dose of N alone, P alone and N & P together, in fodder bajra (Pennisetum americanum L.) cultivar Co-8, under irrigated condition in a clay loam soil. The results revealed that soil application of Azospirillum + Phosphobacterium as biofertilizer mixture (each at 2000 g/ha) along with 75 per cent of recommended dose of N and P fertilizers recorded increased plant height, more number of tillers and economically higher green and dry fodder yields. The N and P use efficiency was also better under this treatment. There was a saving of 25 per cent recommended dose of N and P fertilizers due to the addition of biofertilizer mixture with a higher net return of Rs. 3,247 ha¹ and a benefit cost ratio of 1.39.

Keywords: Bajra, Fodder and Biofertilizer