A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season (kharif) of 2005 and 2006 to study the effect of tillage and supply of nitrogen through different sources on the performance of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) in respect of growth and yield. Pearl millet yield varied significantly due to tillage practices during both the years. The highest average grain yield (2124 kg ha−1) was obtained with deep tillage + two interculture and lowest (1601 kg ha−1) with minimum tillage - one interculture. Application of 100% nitrogen through inorganic source gave significantly higher yield of grain and stover. Seasonal water use was highest with minimum tillage + one interculture in both the years. Maximum water use efficiency was recorded under deep tillage both for grain (7.54 kg ha−1 mm−1) and stover (18.30 kg ha−1 mm−1). Among the different tillage practices deep tillage + two interculture gave superior results in respect of growth characters like plant height, number of tillers plant−1 and number of ears plant−1. Yield attributing characters like length, weight of ear, grain weight ear−1, grain weight plant−1 and 1000 grain weight were also significantly higher tinder same treatments. Application of 100% nitrogen through inorganic source not only recorded significantly higher values of all the growth and yield attributing characters but also gave significantly higher yield of grain and stover, Application of nitrogen though different sources did not influence the water use efficiency during both the seasons. However, water use efficiency of grain and stover under application of 100% nitrogen through inorganic source was higher.