SMALL MILLETS (Minor millets)
Millets have potentiality to grow even under adverse ecological condition.
Successfully grown under very poor agro-climate condition where main food crops
cannot be grown.
Area: 18.52 lakh ha. Production: 8.22 lakh t and Productivity: 440 kg/ha
Area: MP (10.0) > UP > TN > Maharashtra
Production: MP (2.51) > UP (1.38) > TN > Maharashtra
Average yield: Arunachal Pradesh (1230)> UP > TN
FOXTAIL MILLET: Setaria italica
Importance:
Generally grown as rainfed crop
Grains cooked like rice and utilized
Grain flour used in the form of chapaties
Grain contains 12.3% protein, 4.7% fat, 60.6% carbohydrates and 3.2% ash
Grains are fed to cage birds
Straw is thin stemmed and is liked by cattle (not good for horses)
In China it is important next to rice and wheat and provides approximately 15-17% of
the total food consumed in China.
Origin: China
Area and Distribution
India, China, Eastern Europe, Southern parts of USSR and some extent in African and
American countries
In India cultivated in Karnataka, AP, MP and UP
Soil and Climatic requirements
It can grow in poor soils but requires fairly fertile soils for good yields.
Light soils including red loams, alluvial and black cotton soil are all suitable for its
cultivation but it thrives best on rich and well drained loam soils.
Cultivated in tropical and temperate regions up to 2000 m altitude.
Requires moderate temperature and grows successfully with 50-75 cm rainfall.
Although water requirement is less having no capacity to recover after long spell of
drought.
Varieties:
Varieties Zone Sowing time Duration (days) and special characteristics
SIA-2644 2 June-July 90-95 days, bold seeds, medium resistant to
rust disease
DHFT-109-3 3&8 June-July 90 days
Inputs:
Seed rate: 5-7.5 kg ha-1
FYM or compost: 6 t ha-1
Bio-fertilizer (Azospirillum): 500 g.
Chemical fertilizer: 30: 15: 15 kg NPK ha-1
Sowing: Mix FYM two to three weeks before sowing. Sow the seeds in 30 x 7.5 cm spacing.
Apply 50 % N and 100 % P and K at the time of sowing and apply remaining 50 % N at 30
DAS as top dressing.
Sowing depth: 4 cm
Intercropping: Foxtail millet can be grown along with pigeon pea, sesamum and green gram
at 4:2 ratio.
Yield: Grain: 17.5-20 q ha-1, Straw : 40-45 q ha-1
KODO MILLET: Paspalum scrobiculatum
Importance:
Coarsest food grains covered with horny seed coat which should be removed before
cooking and highly drought resistant crop.
Immature and molded grains are poisonous.
Easily preserved and proves as good famine reserve.
Recommended as a substitute for rice to patients suffering from diabetes.
Grain contains 8.3% protein, 1.4% fat, 65.6% carbohydrates and 2.9% ash.
Origin: India
Area and Distribution: Grown mostly in AP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and UP
Soil and climatic requirement:
Grown from gravelly and stony upland poor soils to loam soils.
Adverse conditions in poor soils yield some grain & straw.
Thrives best on sandy loam to loam soils which are well drained.
Makes rapid growth in warm and dry climate & require rainfall of 40 to 50 cm.
Highly drought tolerant can be grown in areas where rainfall is scanty and erratic.
PROSO MILLET: Panicum miliaceum
Importance:
Escape drought by its quick maturity.
Offers better prospects for intensive cultivation in dry land areas.
Grain contains high protein (12.5%), 1.1% fat, 68.9% carbohydrate, 2.2% crude fibre
and 3.4% ash
Rich in lysine (4.6%), which is inadequate in most of the cereals.
Used as cooked grain, flour for making chapaties, perched grains etc.
It makes good poultry feed and straw is good source of fodder.
Origin: India
Area and Distribution
Grown extensively in India, Japan, China, Egypt, Arabia and Western Europe
In India it is largely grown in MP, Eastern UP, Bihar, TN, Maharastra, AP and
Karnataka.
Soil and Climate requirement
Well drained loam or sandy loam soil which is free from kankar and rich in organic
matter is ideal.
Can be grown both in rich and poor soils having variable texture ranging between
sandy loam to clays of black cotton soils.
Warm climate crop grown extensively in warm regions of the world.
Highly drought resistant and can be grown in areas where there is scanty rainfall and
can withstand water stagnation also to some extent.
Varieties:
Varieties Zone Sowing time Duration
GPUP - 8 8 First fortnight of June 70 days
DHPM- 2769 3&8 First fortnight of June 70 days
Inputs:
Seed rate: 12.5 kg ha-1
FYM or compost: 5 t ha-1
Chemical fertilizer: 20: 20: 0 kg NPK ha-1
Sowing: Mix FYM two to three weeks before sowing. Sow the seeds in 30 x 7.5 cm
spacing. Apply 50 % N and 100 % P and K at the time of sowing and apply remaining
50 % N at 30 DAS as top dressing.
Sowing depth : 4 cm
Inter-cultivation: After receipt of rainfall take up inter-cultivation once in 15 days 3
weeks after sowing so that soil can withhold the moisture and helps to reduce the
weed intensity.
Mixed cropping: This crop can be grown along with pigeon pea, cowpea, black gram
and green gram as mixed crop.
Yield: Grain: 20-25 q ha-1, Straw : 4-4.5 t ha-1
BARNYARD MILLET: Echinochloa frumentacea
Importance:
Very drought resistant & also capable of withstanding water logging condition.
Grains consumed just like rice.
Used in making rice pudding.
Grain contains 6.2% protein, 9.8% crude fibre, 65.5% carbohydrates, 4.4% ash.
Mostly eaten by poor class people.
Sometimes brewed for beer.
Used as feed for cage birds & straw makes good fodder for cattle.
Origin: India
Area and Distribution
Grown in India, China, Japan, Malaysia and east Indies and some extent in Africa and
USA.
In India it is grown in MP, UP, TN, AP, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar
Soil and climate requirement
Can be grown in soils of marginal fertility and partially waterlogged condition.
Thrives best on sandy loam to loam soil.
Grown from sea level to 2000 m on the Himalaya slopes.
Warm and moderately humid climate is good.
Varieties:
Varieties Zone Sowing time Duration
Sushrutha 8 June - July 85 days
DHB 93-2 3&8 June - July 85 days
Inputs:
Seed rate: 10-12.5 kg ha-1
FYM or compost: 5 t ha-1
Chemical fertilizer: 20: 20: 0 kg NPK ha-1
Sowing: Mix FYM two to three weeks before sowing. Sow the seeds in 30 x 7.5 cm
spacing. Apply 50 % N and 100 % P and K at the time of sowing and apply remaining
50 % N at 30 DAS as top dressing.
Sowing depth: 4 cm
Inter-cultivation: Inter-cultivation can be done 2-3 times followed by one hand
weeding to control the weed incidence.
Inter cropping: This crop can be grown along with pigeon pea, cowpea, black gram
and green gram at 4:1 ratio.
Yield: Grain: 20-25 q ha-1, Straw : 4-5 t ha-1
LITTLE MILLET: Panicum sumatrense
Importance:
Very drought resistant & also capable of withstanding water logging condition.
Grains consumed just like rice.
Mostly eaten by poor class people.
Used as feed for cage birds & straw makes good fodder for cattle.
Varieties:
Varieties Zone Sowing time Duration
Sukshema 8 June 90 days
DHLM 36-3 3&8 June 90 days
Inputs:
Seed rate: 12.5 - 15 kg ha-1
FYM or compost: 6 t ha-1
Chemical fertilizer: 30: 15: 15 kg NPK ha-1
Sowing: Mix FYM two to three weeks before sowing. Sow the seeds in 22.5 x 5-7.5
cm spacing. Apply 50 % N and 100 % P and K at the time of sowing and apply
remaining 50 % N at 30 DAS as top dressing.
Sowing depth: 4 cm
Inter-cultivation: After receipt of rainfall take up inter-cultivation once in 15 days 3
weeks after sowing so that soil can withhold the moisture and helps to reduce the
weed intensity.
Inter cropping: This crop can be grown along with pulses and oilseeds as intercrop.
Yield: Grain: 15-20 q ha-1, Straw : 5-6 t ha-1