Vol. 10, Issue 9 (2021)

Author(s):
P Shashikala, B Padmaja, SA Hussain and KPC Reddy

Abstract:
Millets now called as ‘nutricereals’ have made a comeback to human diet with the recognition of their role in healthy life style. Mostly grown in rainfed ecosystem, proper nutrient supply and suitable planting method is important to raise the yield level of millets. A new method called ‘guni’ or ‘guli’ method with wider planting and spot application of FYM has been developed in finger millet in line with “System of Crop Intensification”. An investigation was carried out during the kharif season, 2019-20 at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad to study the performance of rainfed finger millet in ‘guni’ method and crop geometry in a split plot design. The results of the study indicated that the transplanting of 25 days old seedlings of finger millet in ‘guni’ method at 30 cm × 30 cm or 45 cm x 45 cm spacing was found to be the best with improved growth parameters like plant height, leaf area index, number of tillers and dry matter production and yield of finger millet over mere transplanting or direct sowing.