Effect of Different Varieties and Establishment Methods on Growth and Yield of Finger Millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] under Konkan Condition

Abstract

The present investigation on response of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] varieties to different establishment methods was conducted at Konkan region of Maharashtra during Kharif season of 2014. The experiment was laid out in a strip plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments were four varieties namely, Dapoli safed, Dapoli 1, Phule nachani and PR-202. The sub plot treatments comprised four establishment methods viz. transplanting, line sowing, awatni (a traditional method of finger millet cultivation in which seedling are uprooted from nursery and planted by throwing it randomly) and broadcasting. Dapoli safed variety of finger millet produced maximum and significantly higher grain yield (2.33 t ha^-1) and straw yield (3.21 t ha^-1) over other three varieties. This variety also recorded higher growth and yield attributes viz. number of functional leaves sq m^-2, number of tillers sq m^-2, dry matter accumulation sq m^-2, number of ear heads sq m^-2, number of fingers earhead^-1, weight of earhead (g) and grain weight ear head^-1 than other three varieties. Transplanting of finger millet produced significantly higher grain (2.36 t ha^-1) and straw yield (3.33 t ha^-1) over rest of the establishment methods followed by awatni. Maximum grain and straw yield with higher net returns and B:C ratio were obtained when Dapoli safed variety of finger millet was sown under transplanting method.