Effect of date of sowing and varieties on performance of summer fodder pearlmillet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) under north Gujarat condition

Field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil at S. D. Agricultural University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat during summer season of 2021. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with fifteen treatment combinations replicated thrice comprised of three dates of sowing in main plots viz. 25^th February, 12^th March and 27^th March and five varieties in sub plots viz. Gujarat Fodder Bajra 4, Gujarat Fodder Bajra 1, BAIF Bajra 1, TSFB 15-8 and Moti Bajra. Crop sown on 12^th March recorded significantly higher total green fodder and dry fodder yield i.e., 589.8 and 139.2 q/ha, respectively. The 25^th February sown crop was statistically at par with the crop sown on 12^th March. Among the varieties, Gujarat Fodder Bajra 4 recorded significantly higher total green fodder yield (625.6 q/ha) and dry fodder yield (148.5 q/ha). TSFB 15-8 was statistically at par with Gujarat Fodder Bajra 4. The maximum B: C ratio i.e., 2.25 was obtained under 12^th March sown crop as compared to other dates of sowing. In case of varieties, maximum B: C ratio i.e. 2.39 was obtained in Gujarat Fodder Bajra 4.