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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Response of pearl millet cultivars to iron application under irrigated conditions: Optimising growth, yield, quality and biofortification through graded iron fertilisation

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14863
Submitted
6 April 2026
Published
10-09-2026

Abstract

Iron deficiency directly impairs crop performance, leading to reduced productivity and quality. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance of hybrids and iron sources in pearl millet development and yield characteristics. During the kharif seasons of 2024 and 2025, two-season field trials were carried out at the south farm of Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences in Coimbatore. The field experiment was carried out using a split-plot design, with iron treatments in the sub-plot and hybrids in the main plot. The treatments include hybrids with RHB 233 and Co 10, as well as foliar treatments with control (No nano + chelated iron (Fe)), nano-Fe at 10 mg L-1, nano-Fe at 20 mg L-1, nano-Fe at 40 mg L-1, chelated Fe at 10 mg L-1, chelated Fe at 20 mg L-1 and chelated Fe at 40 mg L-1. Foliar application of nano-Fe at 20 mg L-1 at 20 and 40 days (S₃) increased the maximum plant height (PH, 152.54 cm), leaf area index (LAI, 1.99), dry matter production (76.61 g plant-¹), effective tillers (6.20 plant-1), ear head length (EHL, 22.99 cm), ear head girth (EHG, 10.20 cm), test weight (10.58 g), grain yield (2327.23 kg ha-1), stover yield (5438.14 kg ha-1) and harvest index (HI, 35.40 %) in non-biofortified hybrid. Similarly, the biofortified hybrid combined with           nano-Fe at 20 mg L-1 produced the maximum levels of protein (10.52 %), Fe (40.50 mg kg-1) and Zn (77.56 mg kg-1). The non-biofortified hybrid showed the enhanced growth and yield, whereas the biofortified hybrid produced grain with the highest quality levels.

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