EFFECT OF DRYLAND PRACTICES AND PLANT-POPULATION ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND MOISTURE USE EFFICIENCY OF PEARLMILLET

A 2-year field experiment was conducted with hybrid BK 560-230 cultivar of pearlmillet (Pennisetum typhoides (Burm. f.) Stapf. & C.E. Hubb.) having 3 water harvesting methods (flat seed bed, ridge and furrow seed bed and bunded seed bed), 3 moisture conservation practices (untreated, straw mulch and kaolin spray) and 3 plant populations (100,000, 150,000 and 200,000 plants/ha). Ridge and furrow and bunded seed bed increased grain yield (2.3 and 2.4 q/ha) and water use efficiency (0.58 and 0.52 grain kg/ha/mm) over flat bed sowing. Straw mulch and kaolin spray enhanced grain yield by 4.2 and 2.2 q/ha and water used efficiency by 2.46 and 1.28 grain kg/ha/mm, respectively over untreated control. Higher plant population (200,000 plants/ha) significantly increased grain yield and water use efficiency over lower plant population (100,000 plants/ha).