Vol. 10, Special Issue 9 (2021)

Author(s):
S Kamala Bai, KH Nagaraj, G Keshava Reddy and SC Ranganatha

Abstract:
There is a vast gap between productivity of millets in field demonstrations vs. farmers’ field pointing to the need for robust extension activities and transfer of improved farming practices, as well as access to high yielding varieties to the farmers. In contrast, subsistence farmers growing millets in unfavourable environments use low levels of inputs and have not been benefited by high yielding variety (HYV) technology. In the present study, the usefulness of the participatory approach through front line demonstrations for identifying cultivars that is acceptable to resource poor farmers and in the local market and can be adopted for consumption is need of an hour. With this background, a study was conducted with two foxtail millet varieties, viz., DHFT 109-3 and HMT 100-1 for testing on farmers fields. Demonstrations were conducted at 78 farmers field for five years (2013 to 2018) in Ramanagara district of South Karnataka. “DHFT109-3” variety met the criteria of farmer’s requirement and opined that the new variety has more number of productive tillers per plant, better grain and fodder yield potential and lodging resistance and they would adopt them in future. The percent increase in grain yield over 5 years is 68 % over local. On creating awareness on value addition to farmers and farm women, the additional benefit obtained is Rs.21,459 and farmers expressed many consumable food items prepared in fox tail millet rice, during training is easy and highly acceptable