ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Vijayapur during kharif 2023-24. The experiment was laid out in split plot design and replicated thrice. The main plot treatments comprising of three irrigation levels viz., 0.6 IW:CPE (I1), 0.8 IW:CPE (I2) and 1.0 IW:CPE (I3). Subplot treatments consists of scheduling of irrigation at critical stage viz., irrigation at seedling stage (T1), T1+ irrigation at tillering stage (T2), T2+ irrigation at flowering stage (T3), T3+irrigation at grain filling stage (T4) with control. Pearl millet hybrid VPMH-14 was sown during July and harvested during October, 2023. Experimental results indicate that, irrigation at 1.0 IW:CPE ratio recorded significantly higher plant height (186.1 cm), number of effective tillers per plant (3.04), grain (3467 kg/ha) and dry fodder yield (5567 kg/ha). It was on par with 0.8 IW:CPE (178.6 cm, 2.79, 3287 and 5355 kg/ha, respectively). But the WUE was higher at 0.6 IW:CPE (16.03 kg/ha/mm) and it was on par with 0.8 IW:CPE (14.38 kg/ha/mm). Among subplot treatments, T4 i.e., irrigation at seedling + tillering + flowering + grain filling stage showed significantly higher plant height (188.6 cm), number of effective tillers per plant (3.08), grain (3491 kg/ha) and dry fodder yield (5593 kg/ha) and it remained at par with T3 (182.2 cm, 2.92, 3309 and 5456 kg/ha, respectively). Among interaction, 1.0 IW:CPE with irrigation at four stages given significantly higher grain (3661 kg/ha) and dry fodder yield (5870 kg/ha), higher gross returns (Rs. 91,525/ha) and net returns (Rs. 72,204/ha). It was found be on par with 0.8 IW:CPE with irrigation at three stages (3386, 5462 kg/ha, Rs. 84,658 and 65,837/ha, respectively). Based on the results, irrigation at 0.8 IW:CPE with scheduling of irrigation at seedling, tillering and flowering stage was found economically feasible in Northen Dry Zone of Karnataka during kharif season.