The present investigation was carried out at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Vijayapur, during the
kharif seasons of 2021, 2022, and 2023 on sandy loam soil. The experiment followed a split-plot design, with two pearl millet hybrids as main plot treatments [M1: MPMH 17 and M2: HHB 299] and nine micronutrient application treatments as sub-plots. The sub-plot treatments included: T
1 - RDF (control), T
2 - RDF + soil application of ZnSO₄ at 25 kg/ha, T
3 - RDF + 0.5% ZnSO₄ foliar spray at 20-25 DAS, T
4 - RDF + soil application of FeSO₄ at 20 kg/ha, T
5 - RDF + 0.5% FeSO₄ foliar spray at tillering stage (20-25 DAS), T
6 - RDF + 0.5% MnSO₄ foliar spray at tillering stage (20-25 DAS), T
7 - RDF + 0.2% CuSO₄ foliar spray at tillering stage (20-25 DAS), T
8 - RDF + 0.2% Borax foliar spray at tillering stage (20-25 DAS), and T
9 - RDF + ZnSO₄ (25 kg/ha) + FeSO₄ (20 kg/ha) + 0.2% Borax. Each treatment was replicated three times.
The pooled data over three years revealed that among the main plot treatments, the hybrid M2 (HHB 299) produced significantly greater plant height, grain yield, and net returns (170.4 cm, 2308 kg/ha, and ₹29,488/ha, respectively) compared to M1 (MPMH 17), which recorded 167.8 cm, 2119 kg/ha, and ₹25,790/ha, respectively. Among the sub-plot treatments, T9 (RDF + ZnSO₄ 25 kg/ha + FeSO₄ 20 kg/ha + 0.2% Borax) achieved significantly higher grain yield, gross returns, and net returns (2308 kg/ha, ₹50,637, and ₹30,345/ha, respectively), and was statistically on par with T2 and T4.
The interaction of M2T9 was found to be the most effective combination, recording the highest grain yield, gross, and net returns (2602 kg/ha, ₹53,276, and ₹32,884/ha, respectively). Overall, the study demonstrated that biofortified pearl millet hybrids responded positively to soil application of micronutrients.
