Effect of Planting Density and Different Irrigation Regimes on of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) Forage yield in Ahvaz climate condition

Subject Areas : agronomy

Mahdi Nasirpour ¹ , Saeid Zakernezhad ²

1 - 1- M.Sc. graduated student of Agronomy, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
2 - 2- Faculty member of Agronomy, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

Received: 2018-07-23 Accepted : 2019-01-21 Published : 2019-01-21

Keywords: Plant density, Irrigation Regimes, Forage, Key words: Pearl millet,

Abstract :

In order to investigate the effect of planting density and different irrigation regimes on the yield of pearl millet in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2017, was carried out. The experiment was conducted as a split-plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. In this study, the irrigation regime was considered as the main-plot at three levels (90, 120 and 150 mm evaporation from class-A evaporation pan) and the plant density as the sub-plot at four levels (20, 30, 40 and 50 plants/m2). The results showed the irrigation regime had a significant effect on fresh and dry leaf weight, fresh and dry weight of stem, plant height, stem diameter, and chlorophyll a and b at 1% probability level. Also, the plant density had a significant effect on leaf fresh and dry weight, fresh and dry weight of stem, plant height and stem diameter at 1% probability level. The interaction of irrigation regime and plant density on leaf fresh and dry weight, fresh and dry weight of stem and plant height was significant at 1% probability level. In general, according to the results, it can be concluded that with increasing drought stress all measured traits decreased. Therefore, considering the environmental conditions of the experimental area as well as the economic aspects of applying and performing irrigation after 90 mm of the evaporation pan, treatment is more suitable. Also, among the densities studied, the density of 50 plants/m2 had the highest biological yield of total forage millet. As the final result, the best treatment was determined using a density of 50‌plants/m2 and irrigation after 90 mm evaporation from the evaporation pan.