Growth and yield of little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.) as influence by varieties and row spacings under rainfed condition

The field investigation entitled "Response of little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.) varieties to row spacings under rainfed condition" was conducted during kharif 2023 at Experimental Farm, Agronomy Section, College of Agriculture, Latur. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with two factors and replicated thrice. Whereas, first factor comprises the different varieties viz. V₁ (Phule Ekadashi), V₂ (OLM-203) and V₃ (BL-6), second factor comprises the three row spacings viz. S₁ (22.5 cm × 10 cm), S₂ (30 cm × 10 cm) and S₃ (45 cm × 10 cm). The results revealed that variety BL-6 (V₃) recorded the highest values of growth parameters viz. plant height (108.82 cm), number of tillers plant^-1 (4.86), number of leaves plant^-1 (17.78), dry matter production plant^-1 (7.85 g), mean leaf area (13.93 dm²), leaf area index (4.78) as compared to OLM-203 (V₂) and Phule Ekadashi (V₁). Highest grain yield (1308 kg ha^-1) and biological yield (3318 kg ha^-1) recorded in BL-6 (V₃) which was significantly superior over OLM-203 (V₂) and Phule Ekadashi (V₁). Numerically highest value of harvest index (39.42%) recorded in BL-6 (V₁). However, among row spacings, closer spacing 22.5 × 10 cm (S₁) recorded higher values of plant height (98.44 cm), number of tillers plant^-1 (4.52), number of functional leaves plant-1 (17.34), leaf area plant^-1 (13.65 dm²), leaf area index (6.06) and dry matter accumulation plant^-1 (7.70 g) which was at par with row spacing 30 cm × 10 cm (S₂) and significantly superior over row spacing 45 cm × 10 cm (S₃). Grain yield (1115 kg ha^-1) and biological yield (2977 kg ha^-1) were recorded maximum with row spacing 22.5 cm × 10 cm (S₁) which was found to be at par with row spacing 30 cm × 10 cm (S₂) and significantly superior over 45 cm × 10 cm (S₃).