Response of Finger Millet to Spacing and Fertilization in Malwa Region of Madhya Pradesh, India

Finger millet is one of the most important millet among all the millet crops. An experiment was conducted during kharif, 2024 at new experimental cum demonstration field, SVIAg, SVVV, Indore. The field experiment was carried out in split plot design with three main and four sub-plot treatments. The main plot treatments were S1 (20 cm × 10 cm), S2 (30 cm x 10 cm) and S3 (45 cm x 10 cm). The sub plot treatments were F1 (125 % RDF), F2 (100 % RDF), F3 (75 % RDF) and F4 (50 % RDF), and each experimental unit was replicated thrice having the gross plot size of 3.60 x 4.50 m2. This experiment tested the recommended finger millet variety, Dapoli 3. Spacing of 20 cm x 10 cm has recorded highest values of growth, yield and economic characters such as plant height (94.33 cm) at harvest and no. of leaves plant-1 (18.54) at 90 DAT, grain yield (12.45 q ha-1), straw yield (22.07 q ha-1) and biological yield (34.52 q ha-1), gross monetary returns (₹ 62242.80 ha-1), cost of cultivation (₹ 36187.57 ha-1), net monetary returns (₹ 26055.23 ha-1) and B:C ratio (1.73). The other growth and yield parameters such as, number of tillers hill-1(11.89) at harvest, dry matter accumulation plant-1 (58.07 g) at harvest, no. of productive tillers (9.94), no. of fingers earhead-1 (7.04), and finger length (7.39 cm) at harvest, was recorded in treatment with S3 (45 cm × 10 cm). The application of F1 (125% RDF) demonstrated comparable outcomes. It recorded highest growth, yield attributes, yield and economics of finger millet. Application of 125 % RDF recorded highest plant height (95.10 cm) at harvest, no. of leaves plant-1 (19.17) at 90 DAT, no. of tillers hill-1 (12.12) and dry matter plant-1 (59.22 g), number of productive tillers (10.08), no. of fingers earhead-1 (7.23), and finger length (7.78 cm) at harvest, grain yield (13.17 q ha-1), straw yield (22.63 q ha-1) and biological yield (35.80 q ha-1), gross monetary returns (₹ 65843.62 ha-1), cost of cultivation (₹ 37983.47 ha-1), net monetary returns (₹ 27860.15 ha-1) and B:C ratio (1.72). Consequently, this treatment resulted in higher growth, yield attributes, yield and quality parameters as compared to the remaining treatments. Hence, it is advisable to apply S1 (20 cm x 10 cm) and F1 (125% RDF) for getting maximum yield of finger millet.