Book of Extended summaries ISDA

International Conference on Reimagining Rainfed Agro-ecosystems: Challenges & Opportunities
during 22-24, December 2022 at ICAR-CRIDA, Hyderabad
soil hardiness in the puddled rice fields, lack of short duration varieties that could facilitate
timely sowing of rabi crops. To utilize residual moisture, pulse crops can be grown in rabi crops
and they are need to be sown immediately after rice harvesting. But, now a days the pulse
productivity in rice fallows is gradually decreasing due to poor germination of seeds, uneven
moisture in the field, lack of improved varieties to withstand cold, Yellow Mosaic Virus,
powdery mildew and water stress at flowering stage. Under such conditions most of the farmers
are inclining towards growing of finger millet crop under zero tillage conditions Hence keeping
in view the importance of zero tillage in conservation of soil health and with an aim to increase
the production and productivity of finger millet, this experiment was conducted to standardize
the fertilizer management technology of finger millet under zero tillage.
Methodology
The field experiment was conducted for three rabi seasons at Agricultural Research Station,
Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh from, 2017 to 2019. The soil was sandy clay loam in texture, low
in organic carbon, available nitrogen, high in available phosphorus and medium in available
potassium. The experiment was laid down in Randomized complete block design with ten
treatments replicated thrice. The treatments taken were: T1: 50% RDF, T2: 75% RDF, T3: 100%
RDF, T4: 125% RDF, T5: 150% RDF, T6: T1+ 1% Multi KNO3 Foliar Spray, T7: T2+ 1% Multi
KNO3 Foliar Spray, T8: T3+ 1% Multi KNO3 Foliar Spray, T9: T4+ 1% Multi KNO3 Foliar
Spray, T10: T5+ 1% Multi KNO3 Foliar Spray. The Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) 60-
40-30 kg NPK/ha of finger millet in the North coastal zone of Andhra Pradesh. The initial soil
samples final soil samples after harvest of the crop were collected, for analysis of pH, EC,
available N, P2O5, K2O and available micronutrients viz., Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn as per the standard
procedures.
Results
Different levels of NPK fertilizers, influenced the growth and yield of finger millet under zero
tillage in rice fallows (Table). The number of productive tillers/plant (2.7) and ear head length
(6.79 cm) were found significantly higher in 150% RDF+1% KNO3 foliar spray. However, it
was on par with 125% RDF+1% KNO3 and 150% RDF. These results confirm that higher rate of
fertilizers had a positive consequence on growth of fingermillet. (Sandhya Rani et al., 2017).
Nutrient management in finger millet (variety, VR 847) in rice fallows under zero tillage showed
that grain yield of finger millet was significantly higher (2830 kg/ha) in 150 % RDF NPK
fertilizers over 100% RDF NPK fertilizers (2289 kg/ha) and was on par with 125% RDF NPK
fertilizers (2602 kg/ha). Spraying of 1% KNO3 at flower initiation stage helped in further
increase in grain yield. The yield increases due to spraying of 1% KNO3 was found to be 0.9 %
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