Response of finger millet (Eleusine coacana(L.) Gaertn) to organic nutrition

Abstract

The study entitled 'Response of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) to organic nutrition' was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during 2021 - 2023 with a primary objective to assess the effect of organic nutrition on the growth, yield, quality and economics of finger millet. The field experiment was conducted in the Model organic farm, Department of Organic Agriculture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani from November, 2022 to February, 2023. The statistical design followed was Randomized Block Design (RBD) with twelve treatments i.e., T1- 50 per cent nutrients through FYM + 50 per cent nutrients through vermicompost (VC), T2 - 75 per cent nutrients through FYM + panchagavya, T3 - 75 per cent nutrients through poultry manure enriched FYM + panchagavya, T4- 75 per cent nutrients through phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) enriched FYM + panchagavya, Ts - 75 per cent nutrients through neem cake - Trichoderma enriched FYM + panchagavya, T6 - 75 per cent nutrients through PGPR mix-I enriched FYM + panchagavya, T1 - 75 per cent nutrients through VC + panchagavya, Ts - 75 per cent nutrients through poultry manure enriched VC + panchagavya, T9 - 75 per cent nutrients through PSB enriched VC + panchagavya, T,o - 75 per cent nutrients through neem cake-Trichoderma enriched VC + panchagavya, T11 - 75 per cent nutrients through PGPR mix­ I enriched VC + panchagavya and T12 - Control {KAU Adhoc Organic POP, 2017) laid out in three replications. For all the treatments, a common dose of FYM@ 5 t ha-1was provided as basal. The variety used in the study was PPR 2700 (Vakula). The recommended NPK dose as per KAU Package of practices (2016) was supplied through respective organic manures on N equivalent basis as topdressings at 15 and 30 DAS. Foliar spray of 3 per cent panchagavya was done at 40 and 55 DAS. Crop nutrition in the treatment T12 was done as per KAU Organic POP, (2017) i.e., basal application of 5 t ha-1FYM, rock phosphate equivalent to 20 kg P2O5 ha-1and K2SO4 equivalent to 20 kg K2O ha·'. The results of the study revealed that organic nutrition had a significant influence on the growth, yield, quality and economics of finger millet. At 40 DAS, 60 DAS and harvest, T,o recorded taller plants (73.4, 109.2 and 113.6 cm respectively) and more number of tillers per m2 (56.0, 88.3 and 82.7 nos. respectively) and was comparable to T,1, Ts and T9. Treatment T,o recorded more number of leaves per tiller (11.0 and 12.3 leaves at crop stages 40 and 60 DAS) and higher dry matter production (7.16, 15.13 and 28.45 g hill•' at 40 DAS, 60 DAS and harvest), comparable to T11.

Treatment Tio recorded higher chlorophyll content (3.744 and 3.921 mg g-1respectively at 40 and 60 DAS) and higher LAI (2.753 at 40 DAS) which were comparable to T11 and Ts. Also, Tio recorded higher CGR (8.84, 10.76 and 11.24 g m-2d-1) and RGR (0.134, 0.041 and 0.023 g g-1d-1) respectively during 20 - 40 DAS, 40 - 60 DAS and 60 DAS - harvest. CGR and RGR under Tio was comparable with T11 during the stage of 20 - 40 DAS and with Ts, T11, T9, T1 and Ts during 40 - 60 DAS and 60 DAS - harvest.

Days to 50 per cent flowering was lower in Tio (52.3 days) and was comparable to T11, Ts, T9 and T1. Higher number of productive tillers per m2(76.1), number of fingers per ear head (11 nos.), ear head length (7.5 cm), ear head weight (10.77 g), grain yield (1307 kg ha·1) and straw yield (4333 kg ha-1) were recorded in Tio and was comparable to T11, Ts and T9. Higher protein content (9.0 %) in finger millet grain was recorded with Tio and it was comparable with all other treatments except T4, T2 and T12. Higher starch (61.09 %) and iron (5.81 mg per 100 g) content in grain was obtained under Ts and was comparable with Tio, T11 and T9. Available N (248.45 kg ha·1), available P (55.39 kg ha·1) were recorded to be significantly higher under T12. Available K (267.84 kg ha-1) in post-harvest soil was higher under T12 which was comparable to T1, T2 and T4. Significantly higher uptake ofN (45.92 kg ha-1) and P (24.23 kg ha·1) were recorded with Tio. Higher K uptake was recorded with Tio (53.02 kg ha-1) which was comparable to T11 and Ts. The activity of dehydrogenase enzyme in the soil was found enhanced in T11(29.3 µg TPF g-1soil h"1), comparable to Tw, Ts, T9 and T7. The present study could identify four superior organic nutrition packages (Tio, Ts, T11 and T9) with respect to growth, yield and quality of finger millet in comparison with the KAU organic nutrition package (T12). Taking into account the economics of crop production, T10 and Ts could be selected as the best packages. Treatment Tio recorded higher net income ofz 63407 ha-1and B:C ratio of 1.94. Ts performed in a comparable manner recording a net income of z 60010 ha-1and B:C ratio of 1.88. Therefore, the treatments Tio (75 per cent nutrients through neem cake -Trichoderma enriched vermicompost + foliar spray of panchagavya (3 %)) and Ts (75 per cent nutrients through poultry manure enriched vermicompost + foliar spray of panchagavya (3 %)) could be recommended as productive and profitable organic nutrition packages for finger millet