Effect of organic and inorganic nutrient management on economics of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.)

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the economics of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) cultivation under various combinations of organic and inorganic nutrient management. The experiment, conducted at the Guru Kashi University Research Farm (Bathinda) during the kharif 2023 season, employed ten treatments with three replications in a Randomized Block Design. Economic indicators including cost of cultivation, gross returns, net returns, and benefit-cost ratio (B:C) were calculated for each treatment. The findings demonstrate that the treatment comprising 75% of the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) plus poultry manure (PM) at 1.5 t ha⁻¹ (T10) was most profitable, offering the highest gross and net returns, while 100% RDF treatment (T2) delivered the best benefit-cost ratio. These results highlight integrated nutrient management strategies as both economically and agronomically viable for sustainable pearl millet cultivation in semi-arid regions.