Production potential, profitability and nitrogen use efficiency of forage pearl millet varieties

Field experiment was conducted to study the production potential, profitability and nitrogen use efficiency of forage pearl millet varieties with nitrogen doses. The experiment comprised of four forage pearl millet varieties (TSFB 15-4, TSFB 15-8, Moti bajra and BAIF bajra-1) at two N levels (80 and 120 kg N/ha) and the eight treatment combinations were tested. BAIF bajra-1 with 120 kg N/ha recorded the maximum green forage yield, dry matter and crude protein yield, gross and net return and B:C ratio. This treatment also exhibited markedly higher nitrogen uptake but markedly higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer was recorded in BAIF bajra-1 with 80 kg N/ha. Hence, BAIF bajra-1 with application of 120 kg N/ha was the most promising treatment for achieving higher nitrogen uptake, dry matter yield and crude protein yield.