Response of Fodder Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) to Zinc and Iron Application

Pearl millet is a vital food and fodder crop in India, offering profuse tillering, drought resistance, and nutritious fodder, making it a valuable resource for the country's large livestock population. Micronutrients like Zn and Fe play a crucial role in enhancing pearl millet's growth, yield, and quality, addressing widespread deficiencies and improving crop productivity. The study aims to evaluate the response of fodder pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) to zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) application. The field experiment was conducted at College Farm of Navinchandra Mafatlal College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari (Gujarat) during the summer season of 2024. The experiment comprised 10 treatments, laid out in a randomised block design with 3 replications. The recommended dose of fertilisers (100-00-00 N-P2O5-K2O kg/ha) was applied to all the treatments. Soil application of 25 kg/ha ZnSO4 + 25 kg/ha FeSO4 recorded remarkably higher plant growth in terms of plant height (219.76 cm), number of leaves per plant (19.33), plant dry matter (21.26 g/plant), leaf: stem ratio (0.89) and length of internode (23.40 cm) as well as green (459 q/ha) and dry fodder yield (139 q/ha) of summer fodder pearl millet. Quality parameters, viz., crude protein and crude fibre content of fodder pearl millet, remained unaffected by different treatments. The highest net return and B:C (4.73) ratio were accrued under the treatment soil application of 25 kg/ha ZnSO4 + 25 kg/ha FeSO4 (T4).