Studies on effect of crop geometry and fertilizer levels on growth and yield of Kharif finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L) Gaertn)

A field experiment was executed on black soil during the Kharif season of 2023 at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, located in Parbhani, Maharashtra. The experiment was structured as a split plot, comprising three replications and twelve treatment combinations. The main plots featured three spacings viz., 30 x 10 cm2 (S1), 45 x 10 cm2 (S2), and 60 x 10 cm2 (S3). The subplots incorporated four fertilizer levels viz., Control (F1), 40:20:20 NPK kg ha-1 (F2), 50:25:25 NPK kg ha-1 (F3), and 60:30:30 NPK kg ha-1 (F4). The results revealed that a spacing of 30 x 10 cm2 (S1) achieved the maximum plant height of 108.25 cm, while wider spacing of 60 x 10 cm2 (S3) enhanced the tiller number (3.83), No of leaves (39.33), dry matter production (52.94 g), grain yield (1862.21 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (3299.60 kg ha⁻¹), gross monetary returns (₹ 71,620), and net monetary returns (₹ 37,766), with a benefit-cost (B:C) ratio of 2.11. The application of 60:30:30 NPK kg ha⁻¹ (F4) resulted in a maximum plant height of 114.72 cm, tillers per plant (4.18), No of leaves (41.47), total dry matter (54.97 g), grain yield (2092.88 kg ha⁻¹), and straw yield (3672.44 kg ha⁻¹), yielding gross monetary returns of ₹ 80,492 and net monetary returns of ₹ 45,447, with a B:C ratio of 2.29, being at par with the 50:25:25 NPK kg ha⁻¹ treatment (F3). Thus, it is concluded that a spacing of 30 x 10 cm2 with a fertilizer level of 50:25:25 NPK kg ha⁻¹ found productive and profitable.