Minor Millets Research Articles

Species of Atherigona in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract Records of Atherigona spp. bred from cultivated cereals, minor millets and wild grass hosts are given. A total of 19 plant hosts of Atherigona species is listed. A soccata, sorghum shootfly, was by far the commonest species present on sorghum and it was also recorded from maize, pearl millet, Echinochloa colonum, Eriochloa procera, Cymbopogon sp. and Paspalum scrobiculatum. Numbers of A. soccata bred from grasses were very low. Data showed that species of Atherigona were in general highly specific in choice of plant host. A. falcata was the commonest grass living species, but tended to favour Echinochloa colonum and E. crusgalli. The dominant species on pearl millet was A. approximata, on Panicum psilopodium, A. pulla and on Digitaria adscendens, A. oryzae. An interesting and important record was the recovery of A. eriochloae from both sorghum and Eriochloa procera. This species was previously only known from the paratype described in 1926. Other species were bred from a range of host grasses.

Studies on the Comparative Tolerance of Minor Millets to Saline Irrigation

Pot culture studies were undertaken to study the relative tolerance of minor millets to salinity. The results revealed that among the four crops tried Kudiravali was found highly tolerant and the yields were relatively unaffected. Panivaregu and Thenai Ware next in order to salinity tolerance. Samai was found highly susceptible to salinity. The varieties PC, 49 (Kudiravali) Co. 3 (Thenai) and Cul. 196 (Panivaragu) were tolerant upto 3000 ppm of salt concentration and yielded normally.

Raishan (Digitaria sp.)—a minor millet of the Khasi Hills, India

Information on the distribution, domestication, cultivation and usage of Raishan (Digitaria cruciata var.esculenta), the Khasi’s minor millet, is provided. The crop is rainfed. Sown in April-May, grains are harvested in October and consumed mainly as a substitute for rice. The straw provides a useful winter fodder.

Millets in Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli Districts with Special Reference to Spread of Strains

The term "Millets" is a collective name for eight different cereals grown mostly under rainfed conditions.. The more important among them-Cholam, Cumbu and Ragi form the major millets and Samai, Varagu, Kudiraivali, Tenai and Panivaragu which are of lesser importance are called minor millets. The above mentioned cereals thrive in areas of low fertility and rainfall and form the staple food of the population in areas where they are extensively cultivated. Millets are also very important fodder crops and are grown practically in all the districts of the State, except in the heavy rainfall districts.

What Next in Millets and Pulses Research?

Millets are grown mostly as unirrigated crops in areas of poor fertility. Being highly drought-resistant, they are the only staple food crops that could be grown in areas unsuited for the cultivation of paddy. Thus millets are complementary and not competitive to rice. Millets also provide fodder for cattle. It is estimated that they give nearly 6.5 million tons of straw to support 60 per cent of our cattle population. Cholam fodder, especially from the sweet juicy-stemmed varieties, is a prized fodder for the milch cattle of our State. There are eight millet crops, of which Cholam, Cumbu and Ragi are known as the major millets and occupy nearly 75 per cent of the area while Tenai, Varagu, Samai, Kudiraivali and Panivaragu form the minor millets. These are cultivated over an area of nearly 5 million acres in the Madras State and the estimated production is 1.7 million tons of grain as against 6 million acres and 3 million tons of paddy. Pulses, which are subsidiary food crops, are of great importance as the major source of protein supply in our diet. They occupy 1.2 lakhs of acres with an estimated production of 0.1 lakh ton of grain. This production meets only 10 per cent of our requirements viewed from nutritional standards. Large quantities are imported from other Indian States but the net available quantity for consumption in the State is still low.