Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad to study the effect of spentwash and tillage on growth and yield of sweet sorghum under rainfed condition. Results revealed that deep tillage recorded significantly higher grain yield (18.0 q/ha) and green biomass yield (35.5 t/ha) of sweet sorghum as compared to shallow tillage (13.7 q/ha and 28.6 t/ha, grain yield and green biomass yield). Among the spentwash levels, application of 150 kg N per ha through spentwash recorded significantly higher grain yield (18.0 q/ha) and green biomass yield (34.7 t/ha) as compared to 75 kg N per ha through spentwash and control, but was on par with 100 kg N per ha through spentwash, RDF and 125 kg N per ha through spentwash. The growth parameters and yield components followed similar trend as that of yield. Treatment combination of deep tillage with 100 kg N per ha through spentwash was suitable. Spent wash application was an effective nutrient supplement which could be a potential resource for sweet sorghum cultivation at low cost.

Keywords: Distillery effluent, Spentwash, Sweet sorghum, Tillage