Comparative Effect of Subhash Palekar’s Natural Farming, Organic and Inorganic Systems of Nutrition on Performance of Fodder Sorghum and Pearl Millet Hybrids

Aims: To evaluate different nutrient management practices in fodder sorghum and pearl millet hybrids.

Study Design: Randomized block design.

Place and Duration of Study: A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of Fodder Section, CSK HPKV, Palampur during Kharif seasons of 2018 and 2019

Methodology: Ten nutrient management practices i.e. absolute control (T1), 5% Jeevamrit (T2), 10% Jeevamrit (T3), seed treatment with Beejamrit + 5% Jeevamrit (T4), seed treatment with Beejamrit + 10% Jeevamrit (T5), 10 t/ha FYM + 5% Jeevamrit (T6), 10 t/ha FYM + 10% Jeevamrit (T7), 50% recommended N + 10 t/ha FYM + 5% Jeevamrit (T8), 50% recommended N + 10 t/ha FYM + 10% Jeevamrit (T9) and recommended NPK through inorganic sources (T10) were tested in randomized block design with three replications.

Results: The results indicated that integrated nutrient management i.e. 50 per cent recommended N + 10 t/ha FYM + 10% Jeevamrit and 50 per cent recommended N + 10 t/ha FYM + 5% Jeevamrit and recommended NPK through inorganic sources remaining at par resulted in better crop growth (plant height, shoot number, leaf stem ratio, percent proportion), higher fodder yield (green and dry fodder yields), NPK uptake and crude protein yield than rest of the organic (10 t/ha FYM + 10% Jeevamrit and 10 t/ha FYM + 5% Jeevamrit) and natural farming (Beejamrit + 5% Jeevamrit and Beejamrit + 10% Jeevamrit) nutrient management treatments. Application of recommended NPK resulted in highest net returns (79049 INR/ha) and net returns per rupee invested (2.09).

Conclusion: Integrated and inorganic nutrient management practices in fodder sorghum and pearl millet hybrids appeared best practices for realising higher yield than organic and natural farming nutrient management practices.