Response of Zinc Fertilization on Production and Profitability of Pearl millet (Pannisetum Glaucum) under Rainfed Condition of Rajasthan

Three years field experiment conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Bikaner (Rajasthan) to study the effect of zinc application on production potential and profitability of rainfed pearl millet. On the basis of pooled data, results revealed that application of zinc through ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha recorded significantly higher plant height (119.19 cm), number of leaves/plant (5.37), dry matter/plant (52.85 g), total tillers/plant (4.89), effective tillers/plant (3.62), length of ear (22.19 cm), test weight (7.17 g), seed yield (1608 kg/ha), stover yield (3147 kg/ha), protein content (11.60%), net return (Rs.10,868) and B:C ratio (2.96) ZnSO4 @ 20 kg/ha and over the control plot. Further, data showed that significantly higher growth parameters, yield attributes, seed yield (1412 kg/ha), stover yield (3098 kg/ha), protein content (11.10%), net return (Rs. 10,842) and B:C ratio (3.10) were obtained under 0.5% foliar spray of ZnSO4 at tillering stage which was statistically at par with 0.5% foliar spray of ZnSO4 at pre-flowering stage. Thus, the findings of present investigation indicated that application of Zn @ 20 kg/ha as well as a foliar spray of 0.5% at pre-flowering stage booted the yields of pearl millet and obtained maximum net returns under the rainfed conditions of Rajasthan.