Efficient Nutrient Management can Improve Growth and Yield of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) in Calcareous Soils of Bihar

Finger millet is considered a neglected crop in Bihar in spite of having huge potentiality to boost the farmer’s income. The growth and yield under calcareous soil are very low for this crop. Therefore, suitable nutrient management practice is required to boost the growth and yield of the crop. Considering this, a field experiment was conducted during the Kharif season of 2020 at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar, to determine the effective nutrient management for optimum growth and yield. The experiment has consisted of seven different nutrient management viz. T₁ – Control, T₂ – N omission, T₃ – P omission, T₄ – K omission, T₅ – 75% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), T₆ – 100% RDF, and T₇ – 125% RDF. These treatments were evaluated under a randomized complete block design with three replications. Application of 125% RDF exhibited the highest plant height, dry matter accumulation, and crop growth rate during different stages of the crop. Similarly, the highest value of grain yield was also recorded under the application of 125% RDF. Further, N, P, and K omission treatments significantly reduced the growth and yield of the crop. Hence, it may be concluded that the optimum growth and yield potentiality of the crop can be achieved with 25% additional chemical fertilizers than the present recommended doses in calcareous soils of Bihar.

Finger millet is an important crop in Bihar under changing climatic scenario.

Suitable nutrient management for this crop in calcareous soils is yet to develop.

Such situation results in poor yield of this crop in calcareous soils.

Application of 25% additional RDF in calcareous soils can ensure growth and yield of the crop.