Effect of nitrogen and weed management on seed productivity of forage pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

A field experiment was conducted during rainy (Kharif) season of 2015 to find out the effect of different nitrogen levels and weed control methods on seed productivity of forage pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) B.] The result indicated that increase in nitrogen level lowered the total weed density and weed dry-weight over control and significantly improved yield attributes and seed yield of forage pearl millet. There was reduction of 34.7 and 17.2 and 17.1 and 15.2% in seed and stover yield respectively at 0 and 50 kg N/ha compared to 100 kg N/ha. Density of Cyperus rotundus was significantly lower in pendimethalin [pre-emergence (PE) + halosulfuron [Post-emergence (POE) and atrazine (PE) + halosulfuron (POE) at 25 DAS whereas pendimethalin (PE) + 1 hand-weeding and atrazine (PE) + 1 (HW) at 25 days after sowing (DAS) effectively controlled broad leaf weeds. The treatments, viz. pendimethalin (PE) + 1 HW at 25 DAS and atrazine (PE) + 1 HW at 25 DAS recorded lower weed density and weed dry-weight at 40 DAS with lower weed index and higher weed-control efficiency. There was reduction of 41.6 and 38.2% in seed yield in weedy check compared to pendimethalin (PE) + 1 HW at 25 DAS and atrazine (PE) + 1 HW at 25 DAS respectively. Maximum net returns and B: C ratio was recorded with pendimetalin (PE) + 1 HW followed by atrazine (PE) + 1HW.