A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2023 at the Agronomy Farm, B.A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, Gujarat, India, to evaluate the effects of Jeevamrut prepared from different animal sources combined with mulching on the growth and yield of kodo millet. The experiment featured twelve treatment combinations, including Jeevamrut prepared from indigenous cow (Gir), exotic cow(Jersey), buffalo(Surti), and a treated check (FYM equivalent to nitrogen), coupled with three mulching treatments: plant residue mulch (wheat straw @ 5 t/ha), live mulch (cowpea as an intercrop in a 2:1 replacement series), and no mulch. These treatments were tested in a randomized block design (factorial concept) with four replications. Kodo millet (variety GK 4) was sown with a spacing of 22.5 cm × 10 cm.
The study assessed the impact of Jeevamrut on various growth and yield parameters and found significant effects on all attributes except plant population at 20 DATP and at harvest, plant height at 30 DATP, test weight, and harvest index. Jeevamrut prepared from indigenous cow demonstrated significantly superior performance in plant height at 60 DATP, plant height at harvest, effective tiller number per meter row length, and panicle length, although it was on par with Jeevamrut prepared from exotic cow for many parameters. Grain and kodo millet equivalent yield were significantly higher with Jeevamrut from indigenous cow, comparable to exotic cow Jeevamrut. Straw yield was also higher with J1 but was statistically similar to exotic cow and buffalo Jeevamrut.
In terms of mulching, plant population at 20 DATP, at harvest, plant height at 30 DATP, test weight, and harvest index were unaffected by the type of mulch. However, live mulch (cowpea as an intercrop), resulted in significantly higher plant height at 60 DATP and harvest, effective tiller number per meter row length, and panicle length, performing at par with plant residue mulch (wheat straw @ 5 t/ha). Plant residue mulch achieved the highest grain and straw yield, comparable to no mulch (M0). Notably, the highest kodo millet equivalent yield was recorded under live mulch.
Economic analysis revealed that the highest net realization and BCR were achieved with Jeevamrut prepared from indigenous cow. Among mulching treatments, live mulch (cowpea as an intercrop) provided the highest net return and BCR’
Vala HD, Mevada KD, Chovatiya MS, Vaghasiya RH, Vayalu VK. Impact of Jeevamrut prepared from various animal excretion and mulching on growth, yield, and economics of Kodo millet. Int J Res Agron 2024;7(11):488-495. DOI: 10.33545/2618060X.2024.v7.i11g.2028
