Effect of foliar spray of water soluble fertilizers on growth and yield of little millet (Panicum sumatrense)

A field experiment entitled “Response of Little millet (Panicum sumatrense) to foliar application of different water-soluble fertilizers” was conducted during the Kharif season of 2024-2025 at the Post Graduate Institute Farm, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, District Ahilyanagar (M.S.). The study consisted of ten treatments, viz., T₁: absolute control, T₂: RDF (40:20:20 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha⁻¹), T₃: GRDF (40:20:20 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha⁻¹ + FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹), T₄: GRDF + Urea @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, T₅: GRDF + 19:19:19 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, T₆: GRDF + 12:61:00 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, T₇: GRDF + 13:00:45 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, T₈: GRDF + 00:52:34 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, T₉: GRDF + 00:00:50 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS, and T₁₀: GRDF + Phule liquid micro grade II @ 1% at 30 and 45 DAS. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The soil of the experimental field was clayey, moderately supplied with available nitrogen (195.65 kg ha⁻¹) and phosphorus (18.08 kg ha⁻¹), and rich in potassium (255.54 kg ha⁻¹). The soil was slightly alkaline in reaction with a pH of 8.02 and contained medium organic carbon (0.52%). Little millet was line sown on flat beds maintaining a row spacing of 30 cm. The findings indicated that application of GRDF along with 19:19:19 @ 1% spray at 30 and 45 DAS produced significantly higher plant height (96.00 cm), number of tillers (13.84) and dry matter accumulation per plant (63.37 g). However, this treatment was found to be statistically at par with GRDF + 12:61:00 @ 1% spray which recorded plant height of 93.00 cm, tillers 12.98 and dry matter 62.19 g per plant, as well as GRDF + 13:00:45 @ 1% spray which registered plant height of 92.00 cm, tillers 12.81 and dry matter of 60.37 g per plant. Likewise, significantly higher grain yield (2260 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (3462 kg ha⁻¹) and biological yield (5555 kg ha⁻¹) were obtained with GRDF + 19:19:19 @ 1% spray, which remained at par with GRDF + 12:61:00 @ 1% spray (2149, 3329 and 5355 kg ha⁻¹, respectively) and GRDF + 13:00:45 @ 1% spray (2093, 3229 and 5255 kg ha⁻¹, respectively). On the basis of one year of experimentation, it was concluded that application of GRDF (40:20:20 N:P2O5:K2O kg ha⁻¹ + FYM @ 5 t ha⁻¹) along with two foliar sprays of either 19:19:19, 12:61:00 or 13:00:45 @ 1% at 30 and 45 DAS was beneficial for improving growth, yield, quality, economic returns and soil nutrient status of little millet grown on medium black soils of Maharashtra.