SMALL MILLETS AS VIABLE CROPS- RECENT DEVELOPMENTS,CHALLENGES AND RESEARCH GAPS Dr A. Seetharam Emeritus Scientist, Ex Project Coordinator (SM), ICAR annada.seetharam@gmail.com
Overview Place of millet crops in Indian agriculture Small Millets, The nutritious grains Small Millets based cropping systems Improved technology and bridgeable yield gaps Challenges in small millets productionto consumption system Some issues For R&D 2
Millets-the food and feed crops Small seeded cereal grasses coarse grains First crops to be domesticated Sorghum & pearl millet major Finger millet, other small millets - minor Nutritious food grains 3
Millets in Indian Agriculture Long cultivation history of > 3000 years Figure prominently as rain fed crops Rich millet crop diversity in India Hardy crops, Physiologically very efficient Wide adaptation reliable harvest 18-19m ha area;18 m t production Gradual area depletion 4
Change in area under major crops (Lakh Ha) Crop/ Year 1955-56 1965-66 1975-76 1985-86 1995-96 2008-09 Jowar 173.6 176.8 160.9 161.0 113.3 75.3 Bajra 113.4 119.7 115.7 106.5 93.2 87.5 Ragi 23.7 26.9 26.3 24.01. 17.74 13.81 Small Millets 53.35 45.64 46.72 31.55 16.62 9.o5 Maize 37.0 48.0 60.3 58.0 59.8 81.74 Wheat 123.7 125.7 204.5 230.0 250.1 277.5 Rice 315.2 354.7 394.8 411.4 428.4 455.4
Change in Production under major crops (Lakh Tonnes) Crop 1955-56 1965-66 1975-76 1985-86 1995-96 2008-09 Jowar 67.3 75.8 95.0 102.0 93.3 72.4 Bajra 34.3 37.5 57.4 35.6 53.8 88.9 Ragi 18.5 13.3 28.0 25.2 25.0 20.4 Small Millets 20.7 15.6 19.2 12.2 7.8 4.5 Rice 275.6 305.9 487.4 638.3 769.8 991.8 Wheat 87.6 103.9 288.5 470.5 621.0 806.8 Maize 26.0 48.2 72.6 66.4 95.3 197.3
Changes in Productivity in major crops (Kg/ha) Crop/Year 1955-56 1965-66 1975-76 1985-86 1995-96 2008-09 Jowar 387 429 591 633 823 962 Bajra 302 314 496 344 577 1015 Ragi 800 492 1064 1049 1410 1477 Small Millets 388 341 412 386 469 491 Rice 874 862 1235 1552 1797 2178 Wheat 708 827 1410 2046 2483 2907 Maize 704 1005 1203 1146 1595 2414
Small millets-origin & Domestication Crop Scientific Name Chromosome No Place of Domestication Ragi (Finger millet) Eleusine coracana 2n=36 (4x) East Africa Foxtail millet Setaria italica 2n=18 (2x) Central Asia-India Proso millet Panicum mliaceum 2n=36 (4x) Central Asia-India Indian Barnyard millet Echinochloa frumentacea 2n=54 (6x) India Japan Barnyard millet Echinochloa utilis 2n=54 (6x) East Asia Kodo millet Paspalum scrobiculatum 2n=40 (4x) India Little millet Panicum miliare 2n=36 (4x) India
Area, Production and Productivity of Ragi & Small millets During 2008-09 Crop Area (Lakh ha) Production (Lakh T) Productivity (Kg/ha) Ragi 13.81 20.40 1477 Small millets 9.05 4.45 491
Crop wise area under different small millets (Lakh ha)-2005-06 Crop/Year Area Major States Little millet 2.91 Karnataka, T.N., A.P., M.P., Jharkhand, Orissa Maharashtra & Chattisgarh Kodo millet 2.35 M.P., Maharashtra, T.N., & Chattisgarh Barnyard millet 1.95 Karnataka, M.P.,Uttarakhand,U.P.,North East Foxtail millet 1.00 A.P.,Karnataka, Rajastan, M.P., Chattisgarh Proso millet o.42 Bihar., North East,Maharashtra., Total 8.61
Nutritional composition of millet grains Crop Protein (%) CHO (%) Fat (%) Fibre (g) ASh (g) Cal (mg) Phos (mg) Wheat 11.8 71.2 1.5 12.9 1.6 41 306 Rice 6.8 78.2 0.5 5.2 1.3 10 160 Jowar 10.4 72.2 1.9 12.6 1.6 25 222 Bajra 11.6 67.5 5.O 16.0 2.2 42 296 Ragi 7.3 72.0 1.3 18.6 2.6 344 283 Proso 12.5 70.4 1.1 14.2 3.1 14 206 Foxtail 12.3 60.9 4.3 14.0 3.3 31 290 Kodo 8.3 65.9 1.4 15.0 3.3 27 188 Little 8.7 75.7 5.3 12.0 5.4 17 220 Barnyard 11.6 74.3 5.8 13.5 4.5 14 121 11
Most common Cooking styles of small millets in India Crop Food Items Finger millet Foxtail millet Proso millet Indian Barnyard millet Kodo millet Little millet Roti, Thin Porridge, Mudde, Dosa (fermented pan cake, Noodles, Popped grain flour, Pappad, halwa, Malted beverage, Fermented beverage (10) Cooked rice, Kheer, Mudde, Roti, Thin Porridge,Dosa,,Sattu, Halwa (8) Cooked rice, Kheer, Roti, Thin Porridge, Sattu, Halwa (5) Cooked rice,kheer, Roti, Thin Porridge, Halwa (5) Cooked rice, Thin Porridge (2) Cooked rice, Kheer, Thin Porridge, Dosa,,Sattu, Halwa(6)
Finger millet - Ragi Very wide distribution and adaptation Area around 1.4 m.ha Highest productivity among millets Grown in many states - very important in areas of production 13
Finger millet A wonder grain Grown in all seasons Wide variety choice Tolerant to drought and salinity Grain long storage life, highly nutritious versatile grain Easy primary processing of grain 14
Finger millet based cropping systems Several traditional intercropping systems in vogue Mixed intercropping with 7-9 crops in Akkadi Finger millet + Pigeon pea (8:2) /soybean(4:1) / field bean(8:1) 15
Other Small millets As many as 5 Small millets grown Foxtail millet, little millet, kodo millet, barnyard millet and proso millet Grown all over the country in all states Synonyms-Minor millet, U.U. crops, miscellaneous cereals Around one million ha area 16
Small millets heritage crops 3000-5000 years cultivation history Major food crops at one time Highly resilient crops, assured harvests Catch crops Suitable for less fertile native fertility /LEIA /fewer pests/diseases Improved varieties available Highly nutritious grains Drudgery in Primary processing 17
Small millets based cropping systems Several traditional intercropping systems in vogue especially with kodo, foxtail and little millet Inter cropping with grain legumes-pigeon pea/green gram/soybean/black gram Genetic potential low to moderate 18
Popular HYVs of ragi in different states. A.P. Padmavathi,Maruthi,Kalyani, Godavari AKP- 2, Suraj, Simhadri, Ratnagiri, Goutami, Sapthagiri Bihar BR-407 Chattisgarh V.L. 149,P.R.202,Ratnagiri.,GPU 28 HR- 374, VL- 147 Gujarat GN-2, GN 3 Jharkhand BM 2,GPU 28 Karnataka INDAF 8,9,HR911,MR1, MR 6, L 5, GPU 26, GPU 28,66, GPU 45, GPU 48
Popular HYVs of ragi in different states (contd). M.P. GPU 45 Maharashtra Bhairabi, GPU 45, 67 Orissa Subra, Chilka T.N. GPU 28,HR 911,CO 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Paiyur 2 TRY 1, INDAF 5, 9. U.P. KM65, Champavathi Uttarakhand VL 146, 149, 315. 324, PRM1,& 2
Popular HYVs In various small millets for different states Crop HYVs Little millet JK 1,TNAU 63,OLM 20,OLM 3,JK 8,JK36,CO 2,CO3,CO4 Paiyur1&2 Kodo millet JK 41,JK 76, GPUK 3,JK 41,JK 48, JK 55,G K 1 &2, RBK155,DPS 48,JK155,K1,CO 2,Co 3 APK 1 and Vamban Proso millet GPUP 8,GPUP 21,K1,K2, CO 2, CO 3, CO 4,CO(Pv)5 Foxtail millet SIA 326,TNAU 186, Krishnadevaraya, Narasimharaya, CO 6,CO 7HMT 100,TNAU 43 Barnyard millet VLM 181,VLM 172 VLM 29,CO 1,K1,K2, VLM 2007,PRJ 1
Yield gaps based on FLD Results (Kg/ha) in Ragi. State FLD (kg/ ha) State Av (kg/ ha) % Increase A.P. 1989 1200 66 Chattisgarh 1232 269 358 Jharkhand 2115 611 246 Karnataka 2836 1881 64 Maharashtra 1524 937 63 orissa 1834 637 186 T.N., 2364 1544 53 Uttarakhand 1484 1315 13 U.P., 1600 1286 24
Small millets Situation analysis Area decline continuing Production < to 2.5 m.t from 4.0 mt Highest production of 4.5 m.t in1979 Productivity of ragi highest among millets Other than ragi not much change Decreasing demand, low price for produce Poor crop competitive ability Agro production package available for higher yield Scope for Value addition for grain exist.
Challenges in Production to Consumption system Increasing production Area expansion No scope Cropping intensity? Increase productivity Response to low inputs? Low genetic potential Growing environment Low fertility moisture stress biotic stresses timely planting? Labor intensive
Challenges in Production to Consumption system Demand build - up poor Home/village usage steeply declining Value of crop residues as feed declining Drudgery in Primary processing of grain Low Crop status
ISSUES FOR R & D Higher Management Response?? Tolerance to variety of Biotic & Abiotic Stresses Complex agro ecology Niche Specific Agro Production Technology Pool of superior varieties needed Varieties with Special Technological Properties? Complex Problems and difficulties in overcoming yield barriers Inadequate Basic Research Support
What can be done in the IDRC funded Project? Just 3 crop seasons available Identification of needs and constraints of target environments Short list technological interventions and R&D options Initiate location specific Verification Research Fine tuning location specific agro production technologies Demonstrate the potential of improved technology on farm Improve profitability of SM by providing improved germ plasm and cropping system options Improve grain processing skills of local communities for diversified utilization at home level Identify and train a few small scale millet processing entrepreneurs Ensure sustainable use of improved agro production practices???????
Summing Up Provide wide options for rain fed farming Barring a few, small millets are not poor yielders. Genetic potential for moderate to high productivity is there. Management is the key Nutritionally far superior grains Need to change the mind set of people Nutraceutical properties to be en cashed 28
Summing Up Production to consumption systems at farm level need better understanding Enhancing demand is the key All avenues to value addition to be explored Food security to be viewed from regional angle for widening the food basket Profitability of SM based cropping system is critical Small Millets are our heritage crops 29
Thank You 30