RA 00110.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Table 4. Economics of pearl millet N fertilization in different agroclimatic zones of India.
Agroclimatic zone
Optimum dose of N
(kg ha -1 )
Response at optimum
rate of N application
(kg grain per kg N)
Output/ input
ratio
South central zone
Northwest zone
Southern zone
Western zone
137
100
92
120
5.0
10.5
6.4
6.2
0.8
2.7
1.3
1.2
Source: Gautam et al. (1981).
2000
Table 5. Effect of time of N application on grain yield of
pearl millet.
Treatments
(N kg ha -1 and splits) 1
1981
Grain yield (kg ha -1 )
1982
1000
0
30(15-15-0)
60 (30-30-0)
90 (45-45-0)
30 (0-15-15)
60 (0-30-30)
90 (0-45-45)
0
1400
1836
1867
1139
1249
1267
976
2042
2528
2792
1472
1894
2074
1278
C D 5%
150
180
1. At sowing and 3-6 weeks after sowing.
Source: Gautam and Kaushik (1984).
Time o f N a p p l i c a t i o n
Figure 2. Effect of time of N application on grain
yield of pearl millet hybrid (mean of 4 centres).
often in excess of their own growth requirements.
The excess fixed N can be utilized by a subsequent
crop grown on the same field (Giri and De 1979). In
experiments conducted over 3 years, the grain yield
of pearl millet was increased by 23% when grown
after groundnuts, 24% after cowpeas, and 12% after
pigeonpea. These pearl millet yield increases after
groundnut or cowpea were equivalent to about 60 kg
ha -1 N applied to pearl millet following a previous
pearl millet crop (Fig. 3).
The advantage following legumes was due to
increased N removed by the pearl millet crop: 40 kg
ha -1 N after groundnuts and 33 kg ha -1 N after
cowpeas, compared with 19 kg ha* 1 N removed by
the crop grown after a preceding pearl millet crop
(Giri and De 1980).
Legumes in Intercropping Systems
Pearl millet is seldom grown as a sole crop in India.
Crops are mixed primarily as an insurance against
bad weather (Raheja 1973). With advances in agronomic
management practices, pearl millet is increasingly
being grown as a row crop, which affords the
possibility of planting low-growing legumes between
the rows. De et al. (1978) and Gautam and Kaushik
(1980a) showed that by modifying the planting
geometry in a 30/90 cm row arrangement (three
rows of pearl millet 30 cm apart and two such threerow
blocks 90 cm apart) left considerable space for
including three rows of mungbean (Vigna radiata
[ L . ] Wilczek) as an intercrop. By adopting this technique,
not only was the pearl millet yield significantly
increased, but the additional yield of mung-
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