PERFORMANCE OF MILLET VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION LEVELS

Field experiment on performance of millet varieties (PARC MS-2, PARC MS-3, Compasit^-1 and Local) under different irrigation levels (no irrigation, single irrigation at 15, 30, 45, double irrigation at 15 and 30, at 15 and 45 and at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) was carried out at New Developmental Research Farm of NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan during kharif 2006. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with split plot arrangements replicated four times in a plot size of 5 m x 3 m. Irrigation levels were allotted to main plots while varieties to subplots. Significant differences were recorded for plant height, green fodder and dry fodder yield among the varieties, while emergence m^-2, days to emergence and tiller plant^-1 were found non significant. Variety PARC-MS-2 had maximum plant height (238 cm), green fodder yield (74.31 t ha^-1) and dry fodder yield (18.17 t ha^-1) when compared with the rest of the varieties. Local cultivar with plant height (191 cm), green fodder (59.08 t ha^-1) and dry fodder yield (15.27 t ha^-1) was the lowest. Irrigation had significant effect on all the parameters except emergence m^-2 and days to emergence. Tillers plant^-1, plant height, green fodder and dry fodder yields were significantly higher for double irrigation than single irrigation or no irrigation. Double irrigation given at either day had statistically similar tiller plant^-1, plant height but its green fodder yield was maximum at irrigation given at 15 and 30 DAS and 15 and 45 DAS, while dry fodder yield was significantly greater at double irrigation given at 15 45 DAS. From these result it can be concluded that PARC MS-2 was highly fodder yielding variety, while double irrigation once at 15 DAS and other at 30 or 45 DAS for higher millet fodder yield seems feasible.