Productivity enhancement in Finger millet through Frontline demonstration in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu, India: A case study

Abstract

Frontline demonstration was taken up in farmers’ holdings of Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu, India during kharif 2015 to create awareness among the farmers and demonstrate the improved production technologies in finger millet. The integrated crop management practices including cultivation of drought tolerant and short duration finger millet variety ML 365, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest and disease management practices were demonstrated and compared with the existing farmers practice followed in Finger millet cultivation. Results showed that demonstration of finger millet variety ML 365 with integrated crop management practices recorded higher grain yield of 2100 kg/ha and farmers practice recorded lower yield of 1730 kg/ha. Adoption of integrated crop management practices increased the grain yield of finger millet to the tune of 21.7 per cent compared to farmers practice. Farmers earned higher net income of Rs.14244/ha through the demonstration and Rs.10018/ha with farmers practice. Besides, farmers realized higher benefit cost ratio (1.58) through the demonstration compared to farmers practice (1.46). Thus, the frontline demonstration of improved variety with crop management practices increased the grain yield and net income of the farmers growing finger millet under rainfed condition. In the present study, potential of the improved variety and technologies were demonstrated systematically and scientifically in the farmers field along with farmers practice for further adoption by farming community in large scale.