Effect of graded levels of borax and gypsum on growth and yield attributes of irrigated finger millet (Eleusine Corocana L.) in southern dry zone of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2016 on sandy loam soil deficient in Boron at College of Agriculture, V. C. Farm, Mandya to study the effect of graded levels of borax and gypsum on growth and yield attributes of irrigated finger millet (Eleusine corocana L.) in Southern Dry Zone of Karnataka. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with fifteen treatments including four levels of borax (5, 10, 15 and 20 kg ha-1), two levels of gypsum (100 and 200 kg ha-1) and their combination along with RDF + FYM and replicated thrice. Results revealed that growth and yield parameters viz., plant height, number of tillers per hill, leaf area index, number of ear heads per meter square and number of fingers per ear head (94.37cm, 6.18, 4.82, 310.67 and 7.61, respectively) were recorded higher in treatment 15 kg borax ha-1 +100 kg gypsum ha-1 + RDF + FYM (T12) over RDF + FYM (T1) (80.38cm, 4.93, 3.32, 241.67 and 6.05, respectively). Significantly higher grain yield of 45.95 q ha-1 (17.56% higher over control) and B:C ratio of 3.06 was also recorded in T12 when compared to RDF + FYM (T1). The higher B: C ratio of 3.08 was recorded in treatment T12 (T4 + 100 kg gypsum ha-1) and it was followed by treatment (T4) received 15 kg borax ha-1+ RDF + FYM (3.02)