Impact of planting spacing and nitrogen fertilizer sources on the growth, yield, and quality of pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum L

Volume 17, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Page 69-75

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Master's student

Abstract
 A field experiment was conducted at the research station of the College of Agriculture, University of Kirkuk, during the summer of 2024 to examine the impact of various nitrogen fertilizer sources and planting distances on the growth characteristics, yield, and quality of millet. The experiment employed a randomized complete block design and a split-plot arrangement with three replications. The primary component in the main plots comprised four row spacings (20, 30, 40, and 50 cm), while the secondary factor in the subplots encompassed four distinct nitrogen fertilizer sources (urea, liquid, nano, and organic). The data were statistically evaluated, and the means were compared utilizing Duncan's multiple-range test at the 0.05 significance level. The results indicated no significant differences in the duration from planting to 50% flowering across various distances. while a distance of 30 cm yielded significant differences in chlorophyll content. Distances of 40 cm and 50 cm were superior in the number of tillers and number of grains in the inflorescence and in the yield of one plant. Distance (40) shown a greater quantity of grains in the inflorescence, whereas distance (50) demonstrated a higher ash percentage. The second factor, nano fertilizer, demonstrated a marked advantage in the duration from planting to 50% flowering, and chlorophyll content; conversely, liquid fertilizer excelled in the number of tillers, number of seeds in the inflorescence. The organic fertilizer treatment exhibited a higher amount of ash in the seeds. There exists a considerable relationship between the row planting spacing and the suppliers of nitrogen fertilizer. The interaction of a 20 cm planting distance between rows with organic fertilizer yielded the highest significant value for the duration from planting to 50% flowering, recorded at 127.00 days. while the 50 cm planting distance with liquid fertilizer excelled in tillers number

Keywords

Subjects
[1].     Al-Nouri, Muhammad Abdul-Wahhab, and Naif, Anas Jassim. (2024). The Effect of Seed Size and Plant Density on Growth and Physiological Traits of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Kirkuk University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Volume 4, Issue 2.
[2].     Al-Naimi, Muhammad Ibrahim Ahmad, Sabah Baha' al-Din Ali, and Afrah Mustafa Muhammad. 2011. "The Effect of Using Local Millet Seeds on the Chemical Composition of Awassi Lamb Carcasses." Volume 2, Issue 2, Kirkuk University Journal of Agricultural Sciences.
[3].     Baby, J., Ganesan, N. M., Ganesan, K. N., Sivakumar, S. D., Chandrasekhar, C. N., & Sobhakumari, V. P. (2023). Stomatal studies on colchicine treated bajra napier hybrids (Pennisetum glaucum× P. purpureum). Agricultural Science Digest, 43(5), 610-615.
[4].     Srivastava, U., Saini, P., & Singh, A. (2020). Effect of natural fermentation on antioxidant activity of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Current Nutrition & Food Science, 16(3), 306-313.
[5].     FAOSTAT. 2014. FAO statistical yearbook. FAO, Rome. http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3590e.pdf. Accessed 12 Feb 2020
[6].     AOAD (Arab Organization for Agricultural Development). 2020. Arab Agricultural Statistics Year book, 41.
[7].     AACC International. Approved Methods of Analysis, 11th Ed. Method 08-01.01. Ash—Basic Method. Approved November 3, 1999. AACC International, St. Paul, MN, U.S.A.
[8].     Ali, F. T., Hassan, N. S., & Abdel Rabbo, R. R. (2016). Hepatoprotective and antiproliferative activity of moringenin, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin. International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 4(4), 1147-1153.
[9].     Asghari, A., Werner, A. D., Lara, J., Willis, N. D., Mathers, J. S., & Servou, M. (2017). Effect of vitamin C supplementation on blood sugar control: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
[10].  Ashgaripour, M. R., & Heidari, H. (2011). Effect of potassium availability on drought resistance in sorghum: Plant growth and macronutrient content. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 48(3), 197-204
[11].  Atta, S. S. B., Bakasso, Y., Diallo, A. B., Luna, I., Sadoun, M., & Jalloh, R. H. (2010). Productivity and production elements of roselle (Hibiscus
[12].  Abd ElRahman, L. S., El-Shazly, S. M., & Farid, M. A. (2017). Impact of nano-fertilizers on cauliflower growth and yield. Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 14(3), 201–208.
[13].  Kumar, A., Sharma, R., & Singh, P. (2021). Impact of nitrogen fertilisation on growth and yield parameters of pearl millet. Field Crops Research, 268, 108173.
[14].  Shabib, Iman Khairy (2022). The Effect of Row Spacing and Nitrogen Fertilisation on the Growth and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Master's Thesis, Al-Muthanna University, College of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops Sciences.
[15].  Siddiqui, D. A., Sharma, G. K., Chandrakar, T., Thakur, A. K., & Pradhan, A. (2020). Differential levels of fertilizer and row spacing affects growth and yield of brown top millet [Brachiaria ramosa (L.)] in Entisols of Bastar Plateau zone of Chhattisgarh. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci, 9(8), 3459-3472.
[16].  Gupta, A., Singh, R., & Sharma, P. (2022). Efficiency of liquid nitrogen fertilizers on growth and yield of millet crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, 15(3), 210-220. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jas.2022.01503
[17].  Khan, M., Ali, S., & Hussain, T. (2023). Nano-fertilizers: Advancements and impacts on nutrient uptake in millet cultivation. International Journal of Nanotechnology in Agriculture, 8(1), 45-58. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/ijna.2023.08105
[18].  Marchiouse, G. (2020). Limitations of traditional fertilizers in modern agriculture. Journal of Soil Fertility, 28(1), 45-56.
[19].  Paudel, S., Sharma, A., & Joshi, B. (2021). Combined effect of nitrogen and spacing on growth and yield of pearl millet. Agricultural Systems, 192, 103215.
[20].  Gupta, S., Singh, R., & Patel, A. (2023). Influence of spacing and nitrogen on growth and yield of pearl millet. Agricultural Research Journal, 61(4), 456-465.
[21].  Xiong, D., Chen, J., Yu, T., Gao, W., Ling, X., Li, Y., ... & Huang, J. (2015). SPAD-based leaf nitrogen estimation is impacted by environmental factors and crop leaf characteristics. Scientific reports, 5(1), 13389.
[22].  Jan, A. (2010). Nano nitrogen fertilizers and chlorophyll content in plants. Journal of Plant Physiology, 167(8), 678-685.
[23].  Al-Fahdawi, Hamada Musleh Matar (2013). Effect of seed quantity on growth characteristics, yield and genetic compositions of durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) grown in two locations. Iraqi Journal of Desert Studies, Vol. 5, No. 1, Special Issue of the Second Scientific Conference, University of Anbar - Desert Studies Center
[24].  Aboelgoud, A. (2021). Effect of nitrogen and spacing on grain yield of pearl millet. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 207(6), 789-798.
[25].  Niharika, M., Vidya Sagar, G. E. C. H., Rekha, K. B., and Anjaiah, T. (2021). Response of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.) to Varying Levels of Plant Density and Nitrogen. International Journal of Environment and Climate Change, 11(11), 308-314
[26].  Hagab, R.H.; Kotp YH, Eissa D.(2018). Using nanotechnology for enhancing phosphorus fertilizer use efficiency of peanut bean grown in sandy soils. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and  Research, 8(3):59-67.
[27].  Al-Shammari, Ali Hussein Awad, Karim Hanoun Mohsen, and Baha' Al-Din Mohammed Mohsen (2019). The effect of spraying with some nano-fertilizers on the yield of three genetic compositions of white corn. Al-Muthanna Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 60–54:(4) 7
[28].  Elsahookie ,M. M. )2007(.Dimensions of SCC theory in maize hybrid–     inbred comparison . The Iraqi. J. Agric. Sci. 58 (1): 128 – 137.
[29].  Martin, J. (2007). Nutrient distribution in soil with liquid fertilizers. Journal of Environmental Science, 15(3), 267-278.