Yield assessment of finger millet variety Shreeratna through front line demonstration

Introduction

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) is a small millet primarily grown in the semi-arid and tropical regions of Asia and Africa, belonging to the Poaceae family. It is esteemed for its high nutritional value, making it a critical source of food in these areas. Its adaptability to marginal environments and resilience to climate variability further enhance its importance, particularly in India, where it is commonly referred to as ragi. This grain plays a crucial role in food and nutritional security, especially in rainfed and hilly regions, catering to the needs of populations relying on stable agricultural outputs despite challenging conditions. Finger millet, a highly nutritious grain, boasts an impressive profile rich in carbohydrates, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron. It is also a good source of essential amino acids, particularly methionine and tryptophan, which are often lacking in other cereal grains. This grain's low glycemic index and gluten-free characteristics make it particularly beneficial for those with diabetes and celiac disease, enhancing its role in health-conscious diets. From an agronomic perspective, finger millet is notable for its strong drought tolerance and efficient water use. It can thrive in impoverished soils while requiring minimal inputs, positioning it as a vital crop for sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient farming systems, essential for adapting to changing environmental conditions. In light of the increasing popularity of finger millet, KVK Ganjam-II Berhampur conducted an evaluation of growth and yield parameters of a promising high-yielding variety. The study aimed to demonstrate the suitability of this new variety as a substitute for the traditional Budha mandia in the prevailing farming conditions. Through Front Line Demonstration, the initiative seeks to enhance productivity while addressing the needs of local farmers.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted through the front line demonstration during the Kharif seasons of 2024 and 2025 in Gopinathpur and Banapur village of Patrapur block of Ganjam district in the east and southeastern coastal plain zone of odisha state with an objective to evaluate the performance of the high-yielding finger millet variety Shreeratna. The experimental site was situated at 19° 16' 17.626'' N latitude and 84° 44' 13.326'' E longitude, with an average elevation of 26 meters above sea level. The region experiences a specific climate, with average rainfall of 1276.2 mm during the study period (June to September). The mean maximum and minimum temperatures observed were 39°C and 18.9°C respectively. The soil of the experimental site is slightly acidic in reaction (pH, 5.6), sandy loam texture with organic carbon content 0.46%, low in nitrogen 142.5 kg ha -1 , low in phosphorus 14.1 kg ha -1 , and medium in potassium 151.4 kg ha -1 contents. The tested high-yielding variety Shreeratna (OUAT Kalinga Ragi 1) is having maturity duration of 110 days and potential yield of 20.7 q ha -1 with moderate resistance to leaf, neck, and finger blasts and brown spots. Local variety Budha Mandia the traditional popular variety has 105 days duration, drought tolerant was taken as local check. The field observations were conducted both on a demonstration plot and on farmers' plots, focusing on various agricultural parameters. Key measurements included plant height, the number of fingers per plant, finger length, the number of fingers per ear, 1000-seed weight, and seed yield, all recorded at the maturity stage. Additionally, gross returns were calculated in terms of rupees per hectare (₹ ha -1 ), based on the prevailing market prices of the produce. Harvest index, is the relationship between economic yield and biological yield. (Gardner et al. (1985). It was calculated by using the following formula

Results and Discussion

Front line demonstrations are taken to assess the yield potential of a technology in farmers' fields. In the study, both Budha mandia and Shreeratna varieties were taken in adjacent plots of both villages. Budha mandia was demonstrated with traditional cultivation practices e.g. more seed rate (15 kg/ha), no seed treatment, broadcasting, manual weeding at 45 DAS with Blanket 45 kg DAP application per ha where as in the demonstrated technologies, besides Shreeratna HYV, other important cultivation practices like proper seed rate, seed treatment with Azospirilium and PSM, line sowing, proper fertilizer and weed managements were taken as indicated in Table .1 Weed management Manual weeding at 40-50 DAS. Pre-emergence application of Oxyfluorfen @ 37.5 g a.i. ha -1 + one hand weeding.

The table presents a comparison between the traditional farmer's practice and the improved (tested) technology for finger millet cultivation. It highlights the differences in crop management practices adopted under each approach. Under farmer's practice, local variety Budha Mandia was used with a higher seed rate (15 kg ha⁻¹), broadcasting method of sowing, and no seed treatment. Fertilizer application was imbalanced (use of only DAP) and weed management was limited to one manual weeding at 40-50 DAS.In contrast, the tested technology involved improved variety Shreeratna, lower seed rate (10 kg ha⁻¹) with line sowing at 20 × 10 cm spacing, and seed treatment with Azospirillum and PSM biofertilizers for better germination and nutrient uptake. Balanced nutrient management was followed with NPK @ 60:20:20 kg ha⁻¹, applied in three nitrogen splits. Weed control was more effective through pre-emergence application of Oxyfluorfen (37.5 g a.i. ha⁻¹) followed by one hand weeding. 1. The data revealed that the improved variety Shreeratna exhibited superior performance over the local variety Budha Mandia for all growth and yield parameters. Shreeratna recorded significantly higher plant height (85.8 cm), number of effective tillers per hill (5.5), number of fingers per ear (6.0), and 1000grain weight (3.2 g) as compared to Budha Mandia, which recorded 78.9 cm, 3.2, 4.87, and 2.47 g respectively. The grain yield of Shreeratna (22.5 q ha⁻¹) was almost double that of Budha Mandia (11.68 q ha⁻¹), indicating its higher productivity potential. The differences between the two varieties were statistically significant at the 5% level, as confirmed by the calculated SEm (±) and CD (5%) values. The superior performance of Shreeratna could be attributed to its better tillering ability, more number of fingers per ear, and higher test weight, which collectively contributed to greater grain yield. These findings suggest that Shreeratna is a promising variety suitable for cultivation under rainfed conditions for enhancing productivity and profitability of finger millet.It shows the tested variety is yielding about 50% more than the local one. It corroborates the findings of (Dash et al 2021) [4] . The economic analysis of finger millet cultivation (Table 3) indicated that the improved variety Shreeratna was more remunerative than the local variety Budha Mandia. The cost of cultivation was slightly higher in Shreeratna (₹28,400 ha⁻¹) compared to Budha Mandia (₹21,200 ha⁻¹) due to the adoption of improved production practices. However, the gross return obtained from Shreeratna (₹56,227 ha⁻¹) was considerably higher than that of Budha Mandia (₹37,528 ha⁻¹), resulting in a greater net return (₹27,827 ha⁻¹) and a superior B:C ratio of 1.9 against 1.7. The harvest index was also higher in Shreeratna (27.41%) than in Budha Mandia (19.8%), indicating better efficiency in partitioning of biomass towards grain yield. The results clearly establish that cultivation of Shreeratna under improved management practices enhances both productivity and profitability of finger millet production under rainfed conditions.

Conclusion

The present study revealed that the improved finger millet variety Shreeratna performed significantly better than the local variety Budha Mandia in terms of growth, yield attributes, and economic returns. Shreeratna recorded higher plant height, effective tillers per hill, number of fingers per ear, test weight, and grain yield, resulting in nearly double productivity over Budha Mandia. The improved agronomic practices line sowing, balanced nutrient management, and integrated weed control contributed to enhanced crop performance. Economic analysis further demonstrated that Shreeratna achieved a higher net return (₹27,827 ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio (1.9), indicating greater profitability and resource efficiency. Hence, the adoption of Shreeratna under improved management practices can be recommended for rainfed areas to enhance finger millet productivity, profitability, and sustainability.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementAuthors extend their sincere thanks to the Dean, Extension and Education, OUAT, Bhubaneswar and ATARI Kolkata, Zone-V for extending support to undertake the study.

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