1Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana - 141004, Punjab
2ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad-500 030, Telangana
3Department of Agronomy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004, Haryana
*Corresponding author: manindersindhu@pau.edu
Online published on 4 July, 2022.
A field experiment was conducted during 2019 and 2020 to evaluate the effect of plant bio-regulators on forage productivity and quality of sorghum grown as rainfed crop. Foliar application of plant bio-regulators included 2% urea, 2% NPK (18-18-18), 2% potassium nitrate (KNO3), 1 and 2 ppm silicic acid and 100 ppm salicylic acid at panicle initiation and flag leaf emergence stage compared with no spray as well as water spray. The application of PBRs increased green fodder yield by 7.4–22.4% over control. On pooled mean basis, the highest green and dry fodder yield of 68.35 and 20.54 t/ha, respectively was recorded with application of 2% KNO3. Application of urea and KNO3 recorded significantly higher crude protein content of the fodder over other foliar sprays. Besides, there was substantial reduction in the HCN content due to KNO3 spray over control. Foliar application of KNO3 presents a viable option for improving sorghum fodder productivity and its quality under rainfed situation.
Green fodder yield, HCN, KNO3, Plant bio-regulators, Sorghum
