Effect of Plant Density and Growth Stages on Some Growth Traits and Fodder Yield of Two Millet Species Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum)

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at Field crops Dept. fields - College of Agriculture - Tikrit University in summer season 2013, to study effect of three plant densities (200000, 400000 and 600000 plant/ha) and growth stages at clipping time( jointing stage , booting stage and 50% flowering stage) on growth traits and fodder yield of millet varieties, Nutrifeed (Pearl millet) Pennisetum glaucum and Local variety (Proso millet) Panicum miliaceum.The experiment designed by R.C.B.D with three replicates. The results can be summarized as following: The plant densities have no significant effect in all growth traits and fodder yield. Also the 50% flowering stage surpass in plant height (135.46 cm), stem diameter (0.83cm), number of tillers/plant (3.72), leaf area (133.14cm2), green forage yield (35.29 t/ha), and green leaves yield (15.58 t/ha). While proceed jointing stage in green leaves Percentage (93.54%). Nutrifeed superior significantly in plant height (113.59 cm), stem diameter (0.63 cm), number of tillers/plant (3.37), leaf area (144.88 cm2 ), green forage yield (26.55 t/ha), green leaves yield (19.66 t/ha), dry matter (23.82%), and dry matter yield (6.32 t/ha). It gave the overlap between Nutrifeed × 50% flowering stage highest significant values of plant height (189.54 cm) and stem diameter (1.20 cm) and the number of tillers / plant (4.66), leaf area (226.78 cm2) and fodder yield (60.85 t/ha) green leaves yield (26.67 t/ha) and dry matter (32.52%) and dry matter yield (19.79 t/ha), while the rest interactions of study factors were not affecting on growth and yield traits.