Sowing Dates and Sowing Methods Influenced on Growth Yiled and Yield Components of Pearl Millet under Rainfied Conditions

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of sowing dates and sowing methods on yield and yield components of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.). Therefore the field experiment was carried out at New Developmental Farm of The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan during summer 2012. The experiment was laid out in randomize complete block design having five replications. The treatments consisted of three sowing dates (20^th June, 10^th July and 30^th July) and two sowing methods (Direct seeding and transplanting seedling) were used. Sowing dates were significant for all parameters. Crop sown on 20^th June had the maximum  leaves plant^-1 (93), plant height (230 cm), panicle length (26.3 cm), panicle weight (14.3 cm), grains panicle^-1 (73.4), thousand grains weight (12.3 g) and grain yield (398 Kg ha^-1) as compared with other sowing dates but panicle weight and grains panicle^-1 were statistically at par with 10^th July sowing. Transplanted crop had significantly maximum leaves plant^-1 (81), plant height (208 cm), grains panicle^-1 (64), thousand grains weight (11.2 g) and grain yield (297 Kg ha^-1) as compared with direct sowing method. The interaction between sowing dates and sowing methods indicated that crop sown on 20^th June through transplanted method had maximum panicle weight, grains panicle^-1, thousand grains weight and grain yield. It was concluded from this study that millet sown on 20^th June with transplanted method seems to the best choice for millet producer under rainfied condition in Peshawar valley.

Keywords: Pennisetum glaucum, growth, yield, sowing methods, sowing dates