Effect of Sowing Date on Growth and Yield of Three Pearl Millet (Pennisetumglucum) Cultivars in West Darfur

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted for two consecutive seasons (2011/12 and 2012/13), under the rain-fed area of ELGeneina, West Darfur State, Sudan. The three pearl millet cultivars were; Dembi (V1), Bauoda (V2) and Local Hariri (V3) were sown at four sowing intervals namely: S1 = first sowing date on July 19th in season one and July 5th on season two, S2 = second sowing date on July 25th in season one and July 10th in season two, S3 = third sowing date on July 31th in season one and July 16th in season two, S4 = fourth sowing date in August 6 on season one and July 22th in season two. The objective of the work was to study the effect of sowing dates on growth and yield of three pearl millet (Pennisetumglaucum)cultivars Results showed significant difference for the majority of growth and yield parameters, except for stem diameters during the two seasons. Among cultivars (Hariri) showed almost the weakest growth, meanwhile, (Dembi) and (Bauoda) had better growth and yieldattributes. The best sowing dates for all parameters were S1 first sowing date (first July),while, V1S1 and V2S1 showed the greatest values for the two seasons. Under this condition early sowing dates (first and mid-July) are the most optimum dates for growth and yield of millet, on the other hand, Dembi and Bauoda cultivars may be recommended as optimum cultivars in that area.