Abstract

This study was undertaken at Navsari, India (20.95°N 72.93°E, elevation of 10 m above Sea level) during summer season 2010 to work out effect of different land configuration and dates of sowing on pearlmillet. The results gained confirm that ridges and furrow along with early sowing date during summer season is beneficial to obtain higher net returns from pearlmillet crop. Ridges and furrow sowing of pearlmillet showed superiority in all needed agronomic trait of pearlmillet crop during summer and the increase in grain and stover yield under ridges and furrow was 20.00 and 17.71% over flat bed sowing, respectively. The economic returns by application of ridge and furrow bed sowing gave net returns of Rs.14081 ha^-1 and B:C ratio of 1.88 while, in flat bed treatment those were Rs.10181.04 ha^-1 and 1.67, respectively. Sowing pearlmillet during last week of January or first week of February increases the yield as well as net returns from the crop. Pearlmillet sown on 5 February (3.24 t ha^-1) gave significantly highest grain yield followed by 25 January (3.04 t ha^-1) sowing, while 15 February sowing gave significantly lowest yield. Highest net returns of Rs.15541 ha^-1 with B:C ratio of 2.03 were obtained with 5 February sowing treatment, followed by 25 January sowing treatment with Rs.13971 ha^-1 and 1.93 B:C ratio respectively. Whereas, the lowest net returns and B:C ratio was acquire from 15 February, that is, Rs. 8341 ha^-1 and 1.55, respectively.

Key words: Summer pearlmillet, land configuration, ridges and furrow, dates of sowing.