Optimizing organic seed priming and nutrient management for enhanced growth of Barnyard millet in irrigated conditions of Dehradun, Uttarakhand

This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of nutrient management and organic seed priming on the growth of barnyard millet in an irrigated system of Uttarakhand. Nutrient management (Factor 1) had four treatments: Control (N0), Vermicompost (N1), Neem Cake (N2), and Alfalfa Meal (N3); and the second factor, organic seed priming (Factor 2), with three treatments, was No Priming (P0), Panchagavya (P1), and Jeevamrit (P2). The combined effect of the treatments on the growth of barnyard millet was tested, and this came up with twelve different combinations of treatment. The results showed that there was a significant favorable interaction between nutrient management and seed priming, which results in positive growth. By contrast with other treatments, the Vermicompost and Panchagavya combination (T5) was found to be the most effective in causing the improvement of the plant development. The maximum plant height was recorded under T5 (N1P1) as being 99.83 cm and the amount of tillers per plant as 7.96 under the same treatment when all the factors were combined. Of T5, the spikelets per panicle were 18.77, grains/panicle 196.66, and test weight 2.95 (gm). All these findings are contributing information towards advising to find a way of improving the cultivation strategies, improving the production and quality of the barnyard millet farming in the area, to achieve a sustainable mode of farming.