Madhya Pradesh: Little millet + Sesamum/

Extension Folder- 3
with Imidacloprid @ 10-12 ml/kg of seed or
soybean/pigeon pea (2:1 row ratio) Thiamethoxam 70 WS @ 3g/kg of seed may be used.

Little

Apply Carbofuran (Furadan 3G) or Phorate 10G at
Sothern Bihar: Little millet + pigeon pea (2:1 row
the time of sowing as soil application in the furrows
ratio)

Millet
@ 20 kg/ha.
Cropping sequence
Harvesting: Harvest is done once the ear-heads
South Bihar: Little Millet- Niger
are physiologically mature. The crop is ready for
Diseases: There are no serious diseases on this harvest in 65 - 75 days after sowing.
crop, Grain smut (Macalpino mycessharmaeis) a
Yield: Grain 12-15 q/ha and 20-25 quintals of straw
common disease of little millet.
per hectare.
Symptom: The affected ovary is converted into
smutsorus, but does not increase in size than the
normal grain  Compiled By:
Management: The disease can be controlled by Swarna Ronanki, Sangappa,
adopting resistant cultivars (DPI 2394, PLM 202, Ganapathy K.N and Vilas A Tonapi
OLM 203, DPI 2386 and CO 2), cultural practices
like delayed sowing and Seed treatment with
Carboxinor Carbendazim @ 2 g

Pests: Shoot fly is the major pest in Little Millet.

Symptoms: The damage of this pests observed

from sowing to six weeks of old crop. As result
of its feeding the central shoot starts drying and
shows the typical symptoms of dead heart in the
early stage and profuse tillering in the later stage,
which are also affected. Damaged tillers may
produce ear heads, but with no grains (white ears)

Management: Early sowing within 7 to 10 days

of the onset of monsoon. Another important
practice is to increase the seed rate and destroy
the ‘dead heart’ seedlings after removal, to ICAR - Indian Institute of Millets Research
maintain the optimum plant stand. Seed treatment Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 500 030, Telangana.
Ph.: +91 - 040 - 2459 9300; Website:
www.millets.res.in
L ittle Millet (Panicum Sumatrense) is a quick
growing, short duration cereal which can
withstand both drought and water logging. It is
State wise Varieties of Little millet
Orissa OLM 203, OLM 208 and OLM 217
Spacing: 25-30 cm (row to row), 8 – 10 cm (plant
to plant). The seed should be planted 2-3 cm in
depth.
Madhya Pradesh JK 4, JK 8 and JK 36
an important crop grown for food and feed. It
Seed rate: 8-10 kg/ha for line sowing
was domesticated in the Eastern Ghats of India Andhra Pradesh OLM 203 and JK 8
12- 15 kg/ha for broadcasting
occupying a major portion of diet amongst the Tamilnadu Paiyur 2, TNAU 63, CO-3, CO-4,
tribal people and spread to Sri Lanka, Nepal, K1, OLM 203, OLM 20 Manuring and fertilization:
and Myanmar. In India, its cultivation is mostly Chhattisgarh JK 8, BL 6, BL-4, JK 36 Apply Compost or farmyard manure @ 5-10
confined to the the tribal belt of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka OLM 203, JK 8 tonnes/ha about a month before sowing. Generally
Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. It is wonderful fertilizer recommended to get a good crop are 40
Gujarat GV 2, GV 1, OLM 203, JK 8
millet which is suitable for people of all age groups. kg Nitrogen, 20 kg P O and 20 kg K O per ha. Soil
It helps to prevent constipation & heals all the Maharashtra Phule Ekadashi, JK 8, OLM 203 2 5 2
test based fertilizers application is recommended.
problems related to stomach. Little millet is rich Climate: Apply entire quantity of P O and half of Nitrogen
in cholesterol, when consumed increases good 2 5
Little millet can withstand drought as well as water at the time of sowing and remaining half of
cholesterol in the body, suitable for growing kids
logging. Hence it is a good catch crop under rainfed Nitrogen at first irrigation
and strengthens the body. Its complex carbohydrate
digests slowly which is very helpful for diabetic condition. Its cultivation is restricted to hilly regions Weeding and Intercultural Operation:
patients. The little millet contains 8.7 gram protein, upto an altitude of 2000m. It cannot withstand
Two inter cultivations and one hand weeding in
75.7 gram carbohydrate, 5.3 gram fat and 1.7 gram colder temperatures below 10oc. line sown crop is recommended. Intercultural
mineral and 9.3 mg iron in per 100 gram grain. Its Soils: operation using a tyne-harrow when crop is 30
high fiber helps to reduce the fat depositions in the days old is also recommended. In broadcast crop
Little millet can be grown on a wide range of soils
body. Little millet has a significant role in providing 1st weeding after 15 – 20 days after emergence
nutraceutical components such as phenols, tannins including waterlogged soils. Deep, loamy, fertile
of seedling and 2nd weeding 15-20 days after 1st
and phytates along with other nutrients. soils rich in organic matter are preferred for
weeding is recommended.
satisfactory growth. It can withstand salinity and
Local Names of Little Millet
alkalinity to some extent. Irrigation: Kharif season crop require minimum
Language Local Names irrigation. It is mostly grown as a rain-fed crop.
Hindi Kutki, Shavan Time of Sowing:
However, if the dry spell prevails for longer period,
Bengali Sama Kharif- first fortnight of July with the onset of then 1 - 2 irrigations to be given. Summer crop
Punjabi Swank monsoon requires 2 - 5 irrigations depending upon soil type
Telugu Samalu and climatic conditions.
Rabi-September to October in Tamilnadu and
Oriya Suan
Kannada Sama, Same Andhra Pradesh Cropping systems
Gujarati Gajro, Kuri Mid March - mid May in the states of Bihar and Uttar Intercropping
Tamil Samai Pradesh as irrigated catch crop. Orissa: Little millet +Black gram (2:1 row ratio)
Marathi Sava, Halvi, Vari