🔅 Pearl Millet

Important points related to cultivation of Pearl Millet.

Pearl Millet/ Bajra

Botanical Name: Pennisetum glaucum ^{IBPS AFO 2012}
Family: Poaceae
Chromosome: 2n = 14
Origin: Africa
Also called as Poor Man’s Food.
Cross pollinated crop due to Protogynous condition.

Climate

Bajra is a warm ☀️ weather crop.
Best suited temperature for crop growth is between 27-30°C.
Requirement of rainfall throughout growth period is 250-350 mm.
It can tolerate hot temperature.
Pearl millet is the most drought tolerant crop among cereals and millets.
The rainfall at flowering time is harmful as it washes off the pollen and consequently there is poor seed setting.
Bajra is a short-day plant.
Seed rate: 4-5 kg/ha
Fodder Purpose: 10-12 kg/ha
Sowing: It is chiefly a rainfed crop during monsoon season. In most of the states is June-July.
Spacing: 45 x 12-15 cm.
Plant population: Approx 1,66,000 plants/ha.
Seeds should be sown about 2-3 cm deep.
Germination: Hypogeal

Soil

It does best on well drained sandy loams.
It is sensitive to water-logging.
Pearl millet is sensitive to acidic soils.
80 per cent phosphorus in grain stored in the form of phytate.

Manure & Fertilizers

1st Hybrid: HB-1 (Tift 23A x BIL 3B) in 1965. (Hybrid Bajra -1)
HB-4: 1st hybrid developed by using local male parent, duration 80-85 days.
Productivity high in UP > Gujarat > Haryana
Weed control: Atrazine/propazine @ 0.5 kg/ ha as pre-emergence.

Jerking

It is done 20-25 days after transplanting or 30-40 days after direct sowing. The early formed ear heads of the first tillers are pulled out or removed which will result in uniform flowering of all the tillers.