Pearl millet, also called Bajra in India, is a cereal crop that grows in many parts of the country. It is mostly grown in dry and hot areas. Bajra is one of the oldest grains that farmers have been growing for a long time. This cereal grows well even in poor soil and with less water, which makes it perfect for dry places.
In this guide, you will learn about the important stages of pearl millet cultivation in India.
8 Steps to Grow Pearl Millet in India
There is a basic process that every farmer should follow for healthy and high-yielding pearl millet crops. You can go through the given information to get a brief overview of each step.
1. Land Preparation
To grow pearl millet, farmers need to get the land ready before planting seeds. They should plough the soil 2 or 3 times using a tractor or plough. This breaks big soil lumps and removes weeds. The field must be flat so water can spread evenly and seeds can grow well. Farmers should add well-rotted farmyard manure or compost during the last ploughing to make the soil healthy and strong.
Using a tractor like the TAFE Massey Ferguson 241 DI MAHA SHAKTI makes land preparation easier and faster. It has a powerful 42 HP 3-cylinder engine that handles ploughing smoothly. Additionally, the TAFE tractor price starts from Rs. 6.73 lakh.
2. Seed Selection and Sowing
Choosing the right seed is very important for a good crop. Farmers should pick certified and disease-free seeds from trusted sellers. Hybrid and improved seeds suggested by agriculture experts protect plants from pests and give better harvests.
Sow the seeds during the monsoon season, usually in June and July. They should keep a 45 cm distance between rows and 10-12 cm between plants. Seeds should be planted 2-3 cm deep in the soil. Using a seed drill or a tractor-mounted seed planter helps to plant seeds evenly. Proper sowing helps plants grow evenly and makes farming easier.
3. Fertilizer Application
Pearl millet responds well to balanced nutrient application. The use of fertilizers should be based on soil test reports. However, in general, applying 20 kg of nitrogen (N) and 10 kg of phosphorus (P) per acre is recommended.
Apply phosphorus at the time of sowing and split nitrogen into two doses. One half should be applied at the time of sowing, and the other half around 25-30 days after sowing. Also, use organic fertilizers such as compost and vermicompost to reduce dependency on chemicals and improve soil health in the long run.
4. Irrigation Management
Pearl millet can grow well without much water and usually grows in places that depend on rain. But giving water at the right time helps to get more grains. If there is no rain when planting, farmers should give one light watering to help seeds grow.
Farmers should water the crop carefully during important times, like when the flowers appear, and when the grains start to fill. Giving too much water can harm the crop because it does not like wet soil. Using drip or sprinkler irrigation helps save water, especially in places where water is limited.
5. Weed Control
Weeds grow quickly and take important nutrients, water, and sunlight away from young crops. To protect the plants, farmers need to remove weeds regularly. They can pull weeds out by hand or use machines like tractor weeders to make the job easier.
Farmers usually do the first weeding about 3 weeks after planting the seeds and do a second weeding after another two weeks. In bigger farms, some farmers use safe weed-killing chemicals called herbicides, but only after getting advice from experts. Removing weeds early helps the crops stay healthy and produce more food.
6. Pest and Disease Management
Pearl millet is prone to a few pests like shoot flies, stem borers, and aphids. It can also suffer from diseases like downy mildew, smut, and rust.
Farmers should monitor the crop regularly and use pest control methods only when required. Use neem-based bio-pesticides in the early stages because they are safer for the environment. They should use chemical pesticides only as a last option and follow proper guidelines. Selecting disease-resistant varieties and following proper crop rotation also helps in reducing pest and disease attacks.
7. Harvesting
Pearl millet is ready for harvest in about 75 to 90 days, depending on the variety. When the leaves turn yellow and the grains become hard, the crop is ready to harvest. Cut the crop by hand using sickles or implements in big fields. After cutting, they dry the crop in sunlight for a few days to lower the moisture. This helps in easy threshing and also prevents fungal damage.
8. Post-Harvesting Activities
After harvesting the crop, clean the grains properly to remove dirt and chaff. Then, they dry the grains in sunlight until the moisture comes down to 10–12%. This drying helps stop fungal growth and keeps the grains safe for storage. Proper drying is important to maintain good grain quality.
Using a tractor for this process ensures better grain care, which helps to get good prices in the market. One of the preferred choices of the farmer for this process is the John Deere tractor 5310 model. It has a 55 HP engine and 46.7 PTO HP that can easily handle all the farming implements. Using a tractor ensures better grain care, which helps to get good prices in the market.
Final Words
Overall, Pearl millet cultivation in India is an ideal option for dry and hot areas. It is easy to grow, requires less water, and can be managed with basic farm tools and machinery. By following proper steps like good seed selection, proper land preparation, timely irrigation, and pest control, farmers can earn a good yield from their fields.