International Journal of Plant & Soil Science

A study was undertaken at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during January 2024 to May 2024 to standardize tillage, plant population and nutrient management practices for grain sorghum under summer rice fallows. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with 2 x 2 x 3 treatments, replicated thrice and the  treatments comprised of combinations of two tillage methods (T₁-zero tillage, T₂-conventional tillage), two levels of spacing (P₁  – 45 x 15 cm, P₂- 60 x 15 cm) and three  NPK levels (N₁ – 45:25:25 NPK kg ha^-1, N₂ – 50:25:75 NPK kg ha^-1 and N₃ – 50:25:50 NPK kg ha^-1). Among yield attributes, sorghum grown under zero tillage with a spacing 45 x 15 cm and a nutrient dose of 50:25:50 NPK kg ha^-1 (T₁P₁N₃) resulted in higher panicle length (22.70 cm), number of grains per panicle (1836.67) and grain weight per panicle (35.96 g). Higher grain yield (5.14 t ha^-1) was obtained in treatment T₁P₁N₃, which was found on par with T₁P₁N₂ (4.96 t ha^-1) and higher stover yield (8.10 t ha^-1) was obtained in treatment T₁P₁N₂, which was found on par with T₁P₁N₃ (7.81 tha^-1). Harvest index was higher in treatment T₂P₂N₁ (0.43) and remained comparable with T₁P₁N₃ (0.40) and T₁P₁N₂ (0.39).