Abstract
Field experiments were conducted in two successive summer seasons to find out the genetic responses of pearl millet to integrated nutrient management with complete block design in four replicates. Treatments included three pearl millet genotypes viz., Gizani, FH-50 and Shandaweel-1 and nine fertilization treatments viz., recommended dose of NPK fertilizer (150:150:60 kg ha(-1)), three types of compost manure (10 % cow, 10 % poultry and 10 % camel and sheep manure (10 t ha(-1)), mixture of the three types (10 t ha(-1)), mixture of the three types (10 t ha(-1)) + 75 % of recommended dose of NPK, mixture of the three types (10 t ha(-1)) + 75 % of recommended dose of NPK + Bio fertilizer (Rhizobium), mixture of the three types (10 t ha(-1)) + 50 % of recommended dose of NPK and mixture of the three types (10 t ha(-1)) + 50 % of recommended dose of NPK + Bio fertilizer. Results showed that FH-50 recorded highest values during different growth stages for yield parameters including plant height, stem thickness, number of tillers, leaf stem ratio, leaf area index, green and dry fodder yield. Similarly, nutrient concentrations and quality traits were also higher for FH-50 than the two other genotypes. Furthermore, the combination of mixture of the three types of manures 10 t ha(-1) + 75 % of NPK fertilizer + bio fertilizer recorded the highest values for different growth, yield and quality traits, followed by mixture of the three types manures 10 t ha(-1) + 50 % of NPK fertilizer + bio fertilizer. Finally, results highlighted that, combined use of organic fertilizers with inorganic, instead of sole application of inorganic fertilizers produced higher forage and grain yield as well as better quality traits in pearl millet.