Productivity, quality, nitrate-N and disease incidence in fodder pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) as influenced by irrigation and nitrogen levels

Fodder yield, quality NO₃-N concentration and disease prevalence (leaf spots and downy mildew) in pearl millet were evaluated under different irrigation and N levels in Kharif 2010 and 2011. Green fodder and dry matter yield of pearl millet increased significantly with increase in N levels upto 75 kg N/ha (535.8 and 116.4 q/ha) due to improvement in yield attributes like plant height, tillers/plant and number of leaves per plant. The highest level of nitrogen (150 kg N/ha) resulted in reduced in fodder yield due to lodging of the crop. The irrigated crop gave significantly higher fodder yield than un-irrigated and magnitude of increase was 15.9%. Crude protein content increased from 7.05% in control to 9.46% at 150 kg N/ha. The high crude protein content (8.50%) was obtained in un-irrigated as compared to irrigated (8.01%) crop. The NO₃-N concentration in pearl millet fodder increased with increase in nitrogen levels upto 150 kg N/ha under both irrigated and un-irrigated conditions but was below toxic limit of 2000 ppm. The NO₃-N concentration was more under un-irrigated conditions. Downy mildew disease incidence in pearl millet was maximum (7.33%) at 150kg N/ha as compared to 1.95% in control under irrigated conditions. Similar trend was observed in percent severity of leaf spots.