Impact of cropping system, fertility level and moisture-conservation practice on productivity, nutrient uptake, water use and profitability of pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum) under rainfed conditions

A field experiment was conducted on a sandy loam soil at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during rainy (kharif) season of 2003 and 2004. The treatment combinations comprised two cropping systems [pearlmillet sole (50 cm row spacing) and pearlmillet paired row (30/70 cm row spacing) + one row of mothbean] and three fertility levels (control, 40 kg N + 20 kg P₂O₅/ha and 80 kg N + 40 kg P₂O₅/ha) in main plots; and four moisture-conservation practices (no mulch, dust mulch + straw mulch, kaolin + straw mulch and farmyard manure (FYM) @ 5 t/ha + dust mulch + straw mulch) in subplots. Split-plot design was followed with three replications. The planting of one row of mothbean between paired rows of pearlmillet proved superior to sole pearlmillet in respect of pearlmillet-equivalent yield (29.60 q/ha), water use and economics. Application of 80 kg N + 40 kg P₂O₅/ha as also FYM @ 5 t/ha + dust mulch + straw mulch recorded significantly higher pearlmilletequivalent yield, nutrient uptake, water use and economics compared with the rest of the treatments.