Abstract

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is an important crop in rainfed conditions and marginal land areas; it is grown under improper crop establishment and imbalanced fertilization. Proper moisture management with zinc fortification has potential to improve productivity, solve zinc malnutrition problem, maintain soil health and economic sustainability. The present study was conducted during 2012 and 2013 at IARI, New Delhi to find out the effect of moisture management and zinc fortification on soil microbial properties, growth and productivity of pearl millet under rainfed conditions. During both years, moisture management and zinc fortification treatments resulted in considerable improvement in soil microbial properties, growth and productivity of pearl millet. Flat bed with 5.0 t/ha crop residue recorded significantly higher dehydrogenase activity, microbial biomass carbon, plant height, dry matter accumulation and grain weight per ear head as compared to flat bed and flat bed with 2.5 t/ha crop residue. In terms of total number of tillers, number of ear heads and length of ear head flat bed with 2.5 and 5.0 t/ha crop residue and narrow bed and furrow with 2.5 t/ha crop residue remained statistically similar with each other. Significantly higher grain (2.52 and 2.72 t/ha), stover (8.21 and 8.65 t/ha) and biological yield (10.72 and 11.37 t/ha) were observed under flat bed with 5.0 t/ha crop residue during both years. Under zinc fortification treatments, application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha to pearl millet recorded significantly higher value of soil microbial properties over control and 2.5 kg Zn/ha. Application of 5.0 and 2.5 kg Zn/ha is at par with each other and proved significantly better over control in terms of growth parameters, yield attributes and yield of pearl millet. Residual effect of zinc fortification was also found to be significant in pearl millet. Soil microbial properties were improved significantly up to 5.0 kg Zn/ha. However, growth parameters and yield attributes were increased significantly only up to 2.5 kg Zn/ha. Application of 5.0 kg Zn/ha produced significantly higher grain (2.57 t/ha), stover (8.22 t/ha) and biological yield (10.78 t/ha) as compared to control. Final results revealed that pearl millet planting under flat bed with 5.0 t/ha crop residue or narrow bed and furrow with 2.5 t/ha crop residue and application of 2.5 kg Zn/ha to pearl millet or chickpea proved to be better.

Key words: Flat bed, crop residue, narrow bed and furrow, dehydrogenase, microbial biomass carbon, moisture management,root length, root volume, grain yield, pearl millet, Zn.