Response of Little Millet Varieties to Different Levels of Fertilizers Under Rainfed Condition

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during kharif 2016 at Post Graduate Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Kolhapur Maharashtra. The objectives of experiment were to find out suitable varieties of little millet, to study the fertilizer requirement of little millet, the interaction effects of fertilizer and variety on little millet and the economics of different treatments in little millet. The growth attributing characters of little millet expressed in terms of plant height, number of functional leaves hill -1, number of tillers hill -1, leaf area and dry matter accumulation plant-1 were significantly higher in PhuleEkadashi and application of 150 per cent RDF. The Phule Ekadashi variety recorded significantly highest grain (13.45 q ha-1) and straw (16.21 q ha-1) yield over OLM 203 (viz., 9.70 and 12.83 q ha-1 grain and straw yield respectively). The fertilizer level 150 per cent RDF recorded significantly highest grain 13.40 q ha-1 and straw 16.10 q ha-1 yields followed by 125 per cent RDF 12.60 and 15.87 q ha-1 grain and straw respectively. The fertilizer level 100 per cent and 75 per cent RDF recorded lowest grain and straw yield as compared to 125 and 150 per cent RDF. The variety PhuleEkadashi recorded significantly higher net (Rs. 24695 ha-1) monetary returns, benefit cost ratio (1.84) over OLM 203 viz., net (Rs. 9695 ha-1) monetary returns, benefit cost ratio (1.33).