ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted to study the "Optimizing sowing windows and nutrient levels for browntop millet (Brachiaria ramose L.)” at Agricultural Research Station, Hanumanamatti, during kharif 2023-24 in split plot design with three main plots (three sowing windows i.e. second fortnight of June, first fortnight of July, second fortnight of July) and four sub plots (RDF of little millet (30: 15: 15 kg NPK ha-1) used to form different nutrient levels i.e. 100 % RDF, 75 % RDF, 125 % RDF, 75 % RDF + 2 % DAP spray at 30 and 60 DAS) and replicated three times.
Among different sowing windows, sowing of browntop millet during second fortnight of June (D1) recorded significantly higher grain yield (1577 kg ha-1), straw yield (2726 kg ha-1), number of effective tillers (326.56 m-2), ear length (14.91 cm), grain weight per ear (0.72 g), test weight (3.50 g), gross returns (`73733 ha-1), net returns (`39843 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.17) over other sowing windows. Among nutrient levels, browntop millet fertilized with 125% RDF (N3) recorded significantly higher grain yield (1584 kg ha-1), straw yield (2731 kg ha-1), number of effective tillers (322.77 m-2), ear length (14.92 cm), grain weight per ear (0.70 g), gross returns (`74051 ha-1), net returns (`39805 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.16) and it was on par with 100% RDF and 75% RDF with 2% DAP spray at 30 and 60 DAS. Among the interaction, sowing of browntop millet during second fortnight of June with 125% of RDF (D1N3) recorded significantly higher grain yield (1756 kg ha-1), straw yield (3018 kg ha-1), number of effective tillers (358 m-2), ear length (16.74 cm), grain weight per ear (0.82 g), gross returns (`82042 ha-1), net returns (` 47796 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.40) compared to other treatment combinations.