Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at C.P. College of Agriculture, S.D. Agricultural University, Sardar Krushinagar, Gujarat during Kharif 2007 to find out the influence of FYM, nitrogen levels and bio-fertilizer on the productivity and economics of forage pearl millet. The experiment comprising of twelve treatment combinations viz., two levels of FYM (M 0 -0 and M 1 - 10 t ha -1 ), three levels of nitrogen (N 1 -80,N 2 -100 and N 3 -120 kg ha 1 ) and two levels of biofertilizer (I 0 -without inoculation and I 1 -inoculation with Azospirillum) was laid out in factorial randomized block design with four replications. Results revealed that FYM 10 t ha -1 , nitrogen 100 kg ha 1 and inoculation with Azospirillum recorded significantly higher green forage yield than their respective lower levels. Similar trends of superiority were observed in economical parameters and soil status of organic carbon, available nitrogen and phosphorus by application of FYM 10t ha-1 , N 100kg ha -1 and seed inoculation with Azospirillum as compared to no FYM, 80 kg N ha -1 and without inoculation, respectively. The interaction effect revealed that among different treatment combinations, the treatment M 1 N 2 I 1 (10 t FYM + 100 kg N ha -1 + Azospirillum inoculation) recorded significantly higher green forage yield, net return and BCR as compared to rest of treatment combinations.

Keywords: Forage pearl millet, net return, BCR, forage yield, available soil nutrient