Abstract
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) is an important cereal crop in Asia and Africa’s arid and semi-arid tropics. Despite its significance as a food source for humans and animals in Pakistan, using unsuitable genotypes and limited phosphorus (P) inputs has resulted in low yields. Therefore, the primary objective was to investigate the interactive effect of genotypes and P on the yield and quality attributes of pearl millet grown in alkaline soil. This two-year field (2020 and 2021) experiment was conducted to test divergent pearl millet genotypes (MP-24, YBS-70, YBS-86, YBS-93, YBS-95, YBS-98, 18-BY, 14-RS-05, 55-S-85, and 16-RBS-10) for their grain production and nutritional quality with P fertilization (90 kg ha− 1) and no P application (control), grown on alkaline soil. Yield attributes, as well as grain and biological yield were significantly improved by genotypes and P applications. Genotype YBS-70 consistently outperformed others, displaying superior grain yield, average grain weight, and higher P use efficiency (PUE) across varying P rates. Nutritionally, YBS-70 had higher protein contents, positioning it as a valuable protein source among the genotypes. Additionally, mineral analysis revealed that genotype YBS-93 had elevated iron (Fe) contents, suggesting their potential in addressing nutritional deficiencies. Millet genotype YBS-70 outperformed other genotypes due to its efficient P utilization, higher grain yield, and superior nutritional quality, resulting in a higher net income and benefit-cost ratio.
