Effect of Organic Manures and Zinc on Growth, Yield and Economics of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted during Kharif season 2022-23 at Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology And Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The soil of experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.8), low in organic carbon (0.62%), available nitrogen (225 kg/ha), available phosphorus (38.2 kg/ha) and available potassium (240.7 kg/ha). The treatments consist of organic manures (FYM 10t/ha, Goat manure 1.6t/ha, Poultry manure 1.6t/ha) and foliar spray of zinc (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%) at 30, 45 Days after sowing. The experiment was layout in Randomized Block Design with nine treatments each replicated thrice. Significant and higher plant height (92.69 cm), maximum number of tillers/ hill (8.40), higher plant dry weight (15.93 g), higher panicle length (15.36 cm), number of grains/ panicle (1262.33), grain yield (2.76 t/ha), straw yield (4.65 t/ha), maximum gross return (INR 78300.00), net return (INR 52670.40) and B:C ratio (2.05) were recorded in treatment 9 with the application of Poultry Manure1.6t/ha along with 0.6% Zinc.