swetha.agr303.pearlmillet-180724134225.pptx

Agriculture

1. S.Swetha agr 303 HARVESTING IN PEARL MILLET

2. Pearlmillet Bajra or Cumbu Pennisetum glaucum

3. Pearlmillet Origin Africa

4. Pearlmillet There are of 32 sp Only two are known outside P. glaucum - Pearlmillet P. purpureum - Elephant grass - for fodder

5. P. purpureum - Elephant grass P. glaucum - Pearlmillet

6. Pearl millet crop has a wide adaptability to local environments. Pearl millet is hardy and can grow in areas very hot and dry, and on soils too poor Pearl millet is considered more efficient in utilization of soil moisture and has a higher level of heat tolerance. Pearl millet crop in desert type of environment Importance of Pearlmillet

7. Pearl Millet is adapted to warm and dry climate but the greatest area of the crop is cultivated in drought-prone areas of the world. In these areas, pearl millet is usually grown with limited inputs in conditions of sparse rainfall and low soil fertility correspondingly poor yields. Pearl millet crop with low/no inputs Importance of Pearlmillet

8. Pearl Millet is a principal source of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals for millions of the poorest people in the regions where it is cultivated. Pearl millet grains are all very high in calories - precisely the reason they do wonders for growing children and pregnant women. Mineral rich

9. Pearl Millet is traditionally used for food products like roti (flat bread), bhakri (stiff roti ), and porridge or gruel. Roti (flat bread) making Pearl Millet porridge Pearl Millet flour mixed with wheat flour is used for making baking products like breads, cakes, muffins, cookies, and biscuits. Making of cookies Pearl Millet cookies Plum Cake Stable food

10. In addition to grain and forage uses, pearl millet crop residues and green plants also provide sources of animal feed, building material, and fuel for cooking, particularly in dry land areas. Good forage crop Forage Pearl Millet Pearl millet crop residue used as fodder

11. Pearl Millet grain as poultry feed Utilization of grain as feed for the milch animals or poultry is not significant (7%) in India compared to sorghum (almost 50% of total output). Pearl Millet grain is used as poultry feed in the Americas, China and Australia. Good Poultry feed

12. Area under pearlmillet World Area 14.0 million ha Drier region of the world India & Africa Small areas in USA, S. America, Canada, Japan, Italy and Australia for fodder Mostly Arid & Semi - Arid regions

13. India trend 10.6 in 1961 to 10.4 million ha in 1997 Predominantly in Rajasthan Rajasthan 5.00 Maharastra 1.67 Gujarat 1.21 UP 0.95 Haryana 0.50

14. Climate It is warm weather annual crop For vegetative growth moist weather & medium RF is sufficient Temp - 28 to 32 º C is optimum for vegetative growth Higher temp at this stage induces early flowering Rainfall - 400 - 750mm Rainfall during flowering & grain formation - poor grain setting Rain at grain maturity - ergot disease due to high humidity & low temp

15. Varieties For TN X 6, X 7, CO 7, WCC 75 (World Cumbu Composite) COH 8, K 3 CO 9 is a good fodder variety Its combination with CO 5 cowpea is a specialty

16. Varieties

17. Loamy sands to loams Well drained, non saline and non-alkaline are more suitable Sensitive to water logged areas Soil Type

18. Field preparation Moisture conservation practices: summer ploughing, deep tillage once in three years Fine and smooth seed bed free from clods Free of weeds, termites and ants Weed-free field for sowing

19. Season Optimum time plays vital role Delay leads to disease and reduced grain yield Mid July - onset of monsoon in Rajasthan In TN Jun - July and Sep-Oct and also in summer

20. Seed rate 4 to 5 kg if sown behind country plough 3.75 kg for transplanting The amount of seed required per unit area also depends on: Optimum plant stand required per unit area Plant type i.e. tall or short plants Weight of seed Quality of seed in terms of germination.

21. Three systems of pearl millet sowing : sowing on a flat surface, sowing on a ridge-and-furrow system, sowing on a broad bed-furrow system. Sowing on flat surface Ridge and furrow system Sowing methods

22. When seeds are sown using ridge and furrow system, the seeds are either sown at the bottom of the furrow or on the side or top of the ridge Planting on the side or top of the ride is practiced in heavy rainfall areas and under irrigated conditions

23. The broad bed-furrow (BBF) system has an advantage over flat sowing in draining off excess water, providing more soil aeration for plant growth, greater in-situ moisture conservation. easier for weeding and mechanical harvesting. Broad-bed and Furrow

24. Sowing methods broadcasting seed manually sowing behind country plough using pora using an improved seed drill which may or may not be fitted with hoppers for fertilizer application using mechanical seed drills attached to a tractor

25. A country seed drill called pora i.e. a wooden hopper attached to a hollow bamboo (Fig.) is used to sow the seeds in the shallow furrows opened by the tines of a country plough A larger area can be covered with this method of sowing Country seed drill

26. The best method is to sow the hardened seeds of pearl millet at 2.5 cm to 3 cm depth with seed cum fertilizer drill to ensure uniform depth of sowing and fertilizer application before the onset of monsoon. Seed cum fertilizer drill

27. Establishments Transplanting is suitable for delayed sowing 500 m -2 nursery 15-18 days old seedlings

28. Optimum population 175,000 to 200,000 45 cm In between plants - decided after thinning It may be by ‘inter-ploughing’ For irrigated crops 15cm between plants may be given

29. If there are excess plants than the optimum plants (18 plants per sq m), then excess seedlings are thinned out when the plants are 12 to 15 cm in height. Any gaps found in the row could be filled by transplanting the plants available from the thinning operation. Thinning in Pearl Millet

30. Methods of weed control Control through crop cultural practices Manual or mechanical control Chemical control Efficient and effective weed control can be achieved by wisely combining the above methods of weed control practices. Weed management

31. Weed free field for sowing A good crop cover by adopting right spacing between rows and within the row will smother the weed growth. For this adopt the recommended spacing Mulching the soil surface in between rows with crop residue material like straw etc. - prevent the germination of weed seeds and at the same time smothers the established young weeds Example of mulching with straw Cultural practices Weed-free field for sowing

32. Manual weeding Manual or mechanical control Hand hoeing to control weeds Intercultivation using blade harrow

33. Herbicides should be selected based on specific type of weeds (broad leaved or grasses or sedges) encountered in a field, and also keeping in view the rotational crops followed after pearl millet harvest. It is very difficult to control grassy weeds with post-emergence herbicides as pearl millet crop itself may be affected. So plan to use a pre-emergene herbicide if grassy weeds are expected. Suitable pre-emergence herbicides Atrazine 0.25 kg Pendimethalin if intercropped with pulses Chemical control

34. Post-emergence application Low rates of 2,4-D at 0.5 to 1.0 kg/ha may be applied when the plants are between 10 to 30 cm tall. Spraying later time affects yield by reducing seed set.

35. Nutrient management Compared to sorghum and maize N & P removal is less but K is high Irrigated Hybrids : 80:40:40 Varieties : 70:35:35 Rainfed Low rainfall : 40:30:30 Moderate to high : 60-80:40:40 N in 2 splits and P & K as basal

36. Nutrient management N may be at basal and 15DAT / 30DAS Higher N - needs balanced P also Micro - nutrients Zn 25 kg Fe 12-5 to 25.0kg for deficient soils FYM 5t Bio-fertilizers seed and main field application Azospirillum / azotobacter

37. Water management Highly drought evading crop Requires much lower water than any cereals 250 - 350mm is sufficient Critical stages - anthesis & flowering 3 - 4 irrigations is sufficient to get good yield

38. Pearl millet should be harvested as early as possible to minimize losses due to birds, and bad weather The ideal moisture content for harvesting grain pearl millet is about 15- 20%. Harvesting and storage

39. Thin stems, heavy panicles, and profuse tillering may result in lodging of the plants. The seeds in the panicles of lodged plants germinate in the moist field and thus affect grain yield and quality. Hence, the plants are tied together to keep the plants standing. Tying of plants

40. The best stage to harvest pearl millet is when the plants reach the physiological maturity. Physiological maturity can be determined by the black (dark) spot at the bottom of the grain. When the crop matures the leaves turn yellow and present a dried up appearance. The grains are hard and firm. The usual practice of harvesting pearl millet is cutting the ear-heads first and the stalks later. The stalks (straw) are cut after a week, allowed to dry and then stacked.

41. The harvested earheads are dried before threshing. The grain is separated from the earheads by using a mechanical thresher or by drawing a stone roller over the ear-heads or trampling under the feet of cattle. The separated grain is then cleaned by winnowing (Fig.) and dried. Winnowing

42. Conventional grain dryers or, natural air drying are options for drying the grain. Grain at or below 14% moisture is considered dry For long-term storage (more than 6 months), grain moisture content should not be more than 13.5%.

43. Pearl millet grain is stored traditionally in mud bins or straw bins or bamboo bins or in metal bins. Mud bin

44. The storage structures in rural areas are not ideal from scientific-storage point of view, as substantial losses occur during storage of grain from insect pests, moulds, rodents, etc. Bamboo bin Metal bin

45. Grain yield Irrigated 3.0 to 3.5 t Rainfed 1.2 to 1.5t/ha

46. Intercropping systems Pearl millet + Red gram (pigeonpea) 2:1 ratio Pearl millet + Groundnut 2:4 ratio Pearl millet + Soybean 4:2 ratio Pearl millet + Sunflower 4:2 ratio (2:1 ratio indicates 2 rows of pearl millet and one row of the other crop) Cropping systems pearl millet-Groundnut Intercropping

47. Deep ploughing once & 3-4 ploughing before sowing Ridges and furrow system Application of FYM 5t/ha Uses of mulches to reduce ‘E’ Uses anti-transpirants - like kaolin. PMA, Atrazine Removal of 1/3 upper part of the seedlings to minimize ‘T’ Mid-season correction if drought occurs Appropriate weed control measures Intercropping with legumes etc Moisture conservation practices

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