Evaluation of traditional varieties of finger millet (Eleusine coracanaI (L.) Gaertnr.)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted with 15 traditional and most adopted finger millet (Eleusine coracanaI (L.) Gaertn.) varieties to assess the field level variability for yield and associated morphological traits. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications, recording traits such as days to heading and maturity, plant height, ear exertion, number of fingers per head, finger width, flag leaf blade length, and single plant yield. Significant variation was observed among genotypes, indicating strong genetic diversity. Paiyur 1 recorded the highest yield (28.2 g), followed by CO 10 (25.6 g), attributed to superior traits like higher finger number, wider fingers, and longer flag leaves. Early maturity was noted in Shivalli ragi, making it suitable for drought-prone conditions. The findings highlight the importance of traditional varieties as valuable genetic resources for breeding high-yielding and climate-resilient finger millet cultivars.