Productivity Enhancement in Finger millet through Frontline Demonstrations in Erode District of Tamilnadu

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana.) is one of the most important millet crop cultivated over 5000 ha in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. However, the productivity of finger millet in the district is low. Attempts were made to improve the productivity and to increase the area under finger millet by adopting integrated crop management practices. The integrated crop management practices comprised of introduction of high yielding variety, seed treatment,
integrated nutrient and plant protection measures were demonstrated. The results showed that the higher grain yield of 2729.5 kg/ha recorded in demonstration compared to 2194
kg/ha in farmers practice with an yield advantage of 24.40 per cent over the farmer practices. The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index were 535.5 kg/ ha, 770.5 kg/ ha, and 22.01 percent respectively. The integrated crop management practices gave higher benefit cost ratio of 2.51 compared to farmer practices. Considering the above facts, FLDs were carried out in a systematic and scientific manner on farmer’s
field to show the worth of a new variety and the potentialities of improved production management technologies in finger millet for further adoption.