MILLETS - VARIETY BAJRA (Cumbu)
( Pennisetum glaccum)
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CUMBU (Pennisetum glacum)
I.SEASON AND VARIETIES
1.IRRIGATED I.CHITHIRAIPATTAM(March-April) All districts except Kanchipuram,Tiruvallur and The Nilgiris WCC 75, K 3, CO 7 x 6 x 7 II.MASIPATTAM(January-February) WCC 75, CO 7, x 6, x 7 2.RAINFED I.ADIPATTAM(June-July) All districts except Kancheepuram,Tiruvallur and The Nilgiris WCC 75, K 3, CO 7, x 6, x 7 K4HB
II. NURSERY
1. PREPARATION OF LAND
i. For raising seedlings to plant one ha select 7.5 cents near a water source. Water should not stagnate
ii. Plough the land and bring it to the fine tilth.
2. APPLICATION OF FYM
Apply 750 kg of FYM or compost and incorporate by ploughing. Cover the seeds with 500 kg of FYM.
3. FORMING RAISED BED
i. In each cent mark 6 plots of the size 3m x 1.5 m with 30 cm channel in between the plots and all around.
ii. Form the channel to a depth of 15 cm.
iii. Spread the earth excavated from the channel on the beds and level.
NOTE: The unit of 6 plots in one cent will for mone unit for irrigation.
4. REMOVAL OF ERGOT AFFECTED SEEDS AND SCLEROTIA TO PREVENT PRIMARY INFECTION
i. Dissolve 1 kg.of common salt in 10 litres of water
ii. Drop the seeds into the salt solution
iii. Remove the ergot and sclerotia affected seeds which will float
iv. Wash seeds in fresh water 2 or 3 times to remove the salt on the seeds
v. Dry the seeds in shade
vi. Treat the seeds with three packets (600g) of Azozpirillum inoculant.
5.TREATMENT OF THE NURSERY BED WITH INSECTICIDES
3 kg. of neem cake powder along with sand spread on the beds and work into the top 2 cm of soil to protect the seedlings from shootfly infestation.
6. SOWING AND COVERING THE SEEDS
i. Open small rills not deeper than 1 cm on the bed by passing the fingers over it.
ii Sow 3.75 kg of seeds in7.5 cents (0.5 kg per cent)
iii. Cover the seeds by smoothening out the rills with hand. Sprinkle 500 kg of FYM or compost evenly and cover the seeds completely with hands.
NOTE: Do not sow the seeds deep as germination will be affected.
7. IRRIGATION OF THE SEED BED
i. Provide one inlet to each unit of 6 plots to allow water in the channels
ii. Allow water to enter the channel and rise up in it. Turn off the water when the raised bed is wet.
iii. Irrigated as per the following schedulle.
1st immediately after sowing immediately after sowing 2nd on 3rd day after sowing On 3rd dayafter sowing 3rd on 7th day after sowing On 9th dayafter sowing 4th On 12th day after sowing On 18th day after sowing 5th on 17th day after sowing
8. PROTECTION OF SEEDLINGS IN THE NURSERY FROM PEST ATTACK
I seed bed is not treated before sowing, protect the nursery by applying Neem cake
NOTE: 1. The seedlings should not be kept in nursery for more than 18 days. As they mature, establishment and yhield are affected adversely.
2. Ensure that cracks do not develop in the nursery. This can be avoided by properly adjusting the quantity of irrigation water.
III. PARTICULARS OF CUMBU HYBRID AND VARIETIES
PARTICULARS X 6 WCC 75 K 3 CO 7 X 7 Season-irrigated/rainfed Both Both Both Both Both Duration (days) 90-100 95 85 90-100 90 Grain yield (kg/ha) 2394 2000 800 2500-2800 2513 Rainfed fodder - 2750 1600 4000 .. Irrigated Grain 3236 3000 1100 3000-3500 3295 Irrigated fodder - 6250 2500 6300 - Plant height (cm) 155-175 170-180 140-160 130-145 155-180 Tillers (No) 4-6 2-3 4-7 6-10 4-7 Pigmentation Green Green Light purple Green Non-pigmented Hairiness Glabrous Glabrous Glabrous Glabrous Glabrous Days to 50% bloom 55-60 50 50 65-70 50-55 Shape of earhead Spindle Spindle Spindle Conical/cylindrical/
Spindle
Candle Bristles Absent Present Nil Nil .. Length of earhead(in cm) 20-25 25-28 25-28 22-26 25-35 Breadth of earhead(in cm) .. 2-3 2-3 3-4 .. Grain colour Slate Slate grey Slare grey Slate colour Slate 1000grains weight(gm) 7.7-8.8 8-9 6.6 6.8-7.2 8.0-9.0 Special features Resistant to downy mildew .. .. Resistant to downy mildew Resistant to downy mildew
IV. PREPARATION OF MAIN FIELD
1. FIELD PREPARATION
i. Plough with an iron plough twice and with country plough twice. Bring the soil into fine tilth.
ii. CHISELING FOR SOILS WITH HARD PAN: Chisel the soils having hard pan formation at shallow depths with chisel plough at 0.5 M interval, firstin one direction then in the direction perpendicular to the previous one, once in three years. Apply 12.5 t/ha FYM, or composted coir pith besides chiseling, to get an additional yield of about 30% over control.
2.APPLICATION OF FYM OR COMPOST
Spread 12.5 t/ha of FYM or compost or composted coir pith uniformly on unploughed soil. Incorporate the manure by working the country plough and apply Azozpirillum to the soil @ 10 packets perha (2000 g)
3. FORMING RIDGES AND FURROWS/BEDS
i. From ridges and furrows (using 3 ridges) 6 m long and 45 cm apart. If pulses is intercropped, form ridges and furrows 6 m long and 30 cm apart. For CO 7 Cumbu, form ridges 40 cm apart.
ii. If ridge planting is not followed, form beds of the size 10m2 or 30 m2 depending upon water availabilty.
iii. Form irrigation channels.
iv. To conserve soil moiture under rainfed condition, sow the seeds in flat and form furrows between crop rows during intercultivation on third week after sowing.
4.APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS:
Apply NPK fertilizers as per soil test recommendations as far as possible. If soil test recommendation is not available follow the blanket recommendation of 70:35:35 kgN, P2O5, K2O/ha for all varieties. For hybrids, apply 80 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per ha. Apply 50 per cent of the recommended nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus and potassium basally.
Combined application of Azospirillum SP 7 and Phosphobacterium along with 75 per cent of the recommended level of N and P is recommended for rainfed conditions.
Method of application: For transplanted crop, open a furrwo more than 5 cm deep on the side of the ridge (1/3 distance from the bottom) place the fertilizer and cover. For the direct sown crop, mark the lines more than 5 cm deep 45 cm apart in the beds for all strains except CO7. For CO7 mark the lines 35 cm apart.Place the fertilizer below 5 cm depth and cover upto 2 cm from the top before sowing. In the case of intercropping with pulses, mark lines more than 5 cm deep 30 cm apart in the beds. Apply fertilizer only the rows in which cumbu is tobe sownand cover upto 2 cm. When Azospirillum inoculant is used for seeds, seedllings and soil apply only 50 kg N/ha for variety, 60 kg N/ha for hybrid in other words, reduce 25% N of soil test recommendations.
5.APPLICATION OF MICRONUTRIENT MIXTURE
Apply 122.5 kg/ha of micronutrient mixture formulated by the Department of Agriculture. Mix the mixture with enough sand to make 50 kg and apply on the surface just before planting/after sowing and cover the seeds. Broadcast the mixture on the surface to seed line. If micronutrient mixture is not available apply 25 kg of zic sulphate per ha. Mix the chemical with enough sand to make 50 kg and apply as above.
V.MANAGEMENT OF MAIN FIELD OPERATIONS1. TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS OR SOWING PRE-TREATED SEEDS
Transplanted crop
i. Pull out the seedlings when they are 15 to 18 days old.
ii. Adopt the spacing 45 x 15 cm for all the varieties except CO7. For CO7 the spacing is 35 x 15 cm
iii. Plant seedlings on the side ridge, half way from the bottom. Depth of planting should be 3 to 5 cm.
iv. Root dipping with bio-fertilizers: Prepare the slurry with 5 packets (1000 g)/ha of Azospirillum SP 7 inoculant in 40 lit. of water and dip the roots of the seedlings 15-30 minutes before planting.
Direct sown crop
Soaking of cumbu seeds either in 2% Potassium chloride (KC1) or 3% Sodium Chloride (NaC1) for 16 hours followed by 5 hours shade drying improves germination and stand.
i. Adopt the spacingof 45x15 cm forall varieties except CO7. For CO7, give a spacingof 35x15 cm. If pulse is intercropped , adopt a spacing of 35 x 15 cm for cumbuand 30 x 10 cm for Cowpea and 30 x 10 cm for other pulses. One pair row of cumbu is alternated with a single row of pulse crop.
ii. In the furrows in which fertilizers have been applied, place 5kg of seed, allowing them to fall 4-5cm apart (Use higher seed rate of 5 kg of offset mortality). The optimum population should be 1,45,000 per ha.
iii. Where pulse seeds are to be sown,drop pulse seeds to fall 5 cm apart and cover.
2.WEED MANAGEMENT
Hand weed on15th day and again between 30 and 35 days after transplanting.
Direct sown crop
i. Hand weed twice on15 and 30days after sowing.
3.THINNING AND GAP FILLING
In direct sown crop after 1st weeding at the time of irrigation, gap fill and thin the crop to a spacing of 15cm between plants; cowpea crop to 20 cm between plants and other pulses crops to 10cm between plants.
4.TOP DRESSING OF FERTILIZERS
i. Top dress the remaining quantity of nitrogen (50%) 15 days after transplanting for transplanted crop and 30 days after sowing for direct sown crop.
ii. In transplanted crop,open a furrow 5 cm deep with a stick or hoe at the bottom ofthe furrow., place the fertilizer asnd cover;
iii. In thecase of direct sown crop apply the fertilizer inband. If inter cropped with pulses apply the fertilizer to cumbu crop only
iv. After the application of fertilizer,irrigate the crop
5.EARHEAD PROTECTION
Apply Neem cake powder and ash to protect the earhead. Garlic spray 2%. can also be done.
VI. WATER MANAGEMENT
The different growth stages of cumbu are as followsand regulate irrigation according to growth phases. Heading and flowering are the critical phases of water demand.
Vegetative Phase a.Seedling 1 to 28 days b. Tillering 19 to 35 days c.Flowering phase 36 to 55 days d.Maturity phase 56 to 85 days
STAGES No.of irrigation Days after transplantation/sowing Transplanted crop Directsown crop Light soils i.Germination 1 1st day after transplanting 1st day after sowing 2 4thday 4thday ii.Vegetative phase 1 15th day 17th day 2 28th day 30th day iii.Flowering Phase 1 40th day 42nd day 2 52nd day 55th day 3 49th day 70th day iv. Maturity Phase 1 1st day after planting 1st day after sowing v. Stop irrigation thereafter Heavy soils i.Germination 1 1st day after planting 1st day after sowing 2 4thday 5thday ii.Vegetative phase 1 15th day 15th day 2 28th day 30th day iii.Flowering Phase 1 42nd day 45th day 2 44th day 60th day iv.Maturity Phase 1 54th day 75th day v. Stop irrigation thereafter NOTE: This is only a guideline and the irrigation schedule is to be adjusted depending upon the prevailing weather conditions.
VII. HARVESTING THE CROP
1.SYMPTOMS OF MATURITY
i. Leaves will turn yellow and present a dried appearance
ii. Grains will be hardened.
2. HARVESTING
i. Cut the earheads separately
ii. Cut the straw after a week, allowing it to dry and stack it in the field till it canbe transported.
3.THRESHING, CLEANING, DRYING AND STORING
i. Dry the earheads
ii. Thresh in a mechanical thresher or
iii. Spread it anddrag a stone roller over it or
iv. Cattle thresh
VII. DISEASE MANAGEMENT (SPECIFIC PROBLEMS)
1. SUGARY AND ERGOT DISEASES (CHEMICALCONTROL)
Spray Psuodomonas sp. + Trichoderma viride when 5-10% flowers have opened and again 50% flowering stage.
2.RUST
Spray Psuodomonas sp. + Trichoderma viride when the initial symptoms of the diseases are noticed. Repeat the same 10 days after.
Sowing during December-May result in less incidence of rust disease. Control measures are to be adopted when there is rust incidence in the early stages as spread of infection to top leaves results in poor grain filling.
DOWNY MILDEW
Growing downy mildew resistant varieties CO 7, WCC 75 is recommended. Transplanting reduces disease incidence. At the time of planting infected seedlings shouldbe removed. In the direct sown crop, infested plants should be moved upto 45 days after sowing as and when the symptoms are noticed.
Psudomonas sp. may be spraied.at.2kg/ha.
IX. SEED TECHNOLOGY
CUMBU HYBRID/VARIETY/COMPOSITE
1.SEASON
Winter season - October-December. The parental lines of Pusa 34 cumbu can be raised in the ratio of 8:2 F:M for maximising hybrid seed production.
2.SPACING
Give a spacing of 45 x 30 cm
3. PLANTING RATIO
Plant in the ratio of 6:1 ( 6 female lines and 1 male line) for hybrid.
4.APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS
N P K(kg/ha) i.Basal 50 50 50 ii. Top dressing(30th day after sowing 50 .. .. iii.Foliar application Diammonium phosphate 1% at peak tillering phase 5.HARVESTING AND THRESHING
The earheads should be harvested at 20-25 per cent moisture content and threshed after reducing the moisture content to 15-20 per cent ina mechanical thresher at 1400 rpm. Harvesting the earheads from late formed tillers (7th onwards) should be avoided as the seed yield and quality declines.
6.DRYING
Dry the precleaned seeds in a hot-air dryer for 8 hrs to reduce the moisture content to 10 per cent.
7.GRADING
A grading sieve with the specification of 4/64" (1.6 mm) diameter round perforations was found optimum for obtaining higher recovery of 90-95 per cent good quality seeds. (For WCC 75, use 5/64" round perforated sieve)
8.SEED TREATMENT
Store the seeds with neem leaf or with nochi leaf.
9.STORAGE
Treated seeds packed in cloth bag and polythene bags of 700 gauge thick wil be able to remain germinable to an extent of 80-90 per cent respectively over a period of 15 months under ambient temperature and relative humidity obtainable at Coimbatore.
10.STORAGE HYDRATION-DEHYDRATION FOR PROLONGING THE SHELF LIFE OF SEEDS
Seeds that show a decline in vigour and germinability during the early period of storage should be soaked for three hours in double the volume of Disodium phosphate 10.4 M (36 mg/lit of water). The seeds after soaking should be air-dried first and then sundried until theydry back to 8% moisture content and store it with neem leaf or nochi leaf which will maintain shelf life upto ten months, with minimum loss invigour and viability.
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