Effect of improved Establishment Technologies (ET) on growth, yield, economics and energy use in Italian millet

Minor millets are small, seeded grains with enriched minerals and nutrients over other grain crops. Besides its nutritional quality, low yielding potential and lack of available technologies restricted its cultivation area. During the last few decades, most of crop-producing activities turned to mechanization except minor millets due to less focus on minor millet research. In this experiment, various establishment technologies were evaluated through mechanization with the objective of increasing foxtail millet (Italian millet) productivity. The treatments were formulated with various land management [(Ridges & Furrow (RF); Compartmental Bunding (CB); Broad Bed Furrow (BBF); Flatbed (FB)], sowing [Line sowing (LS), Sowing by drone (SD) and Machine sowing (MS)] and irrigation methods (Modified surge irrigation (MSI), Rain gun (RG)). The Randomized Block Design (RBD) was used to lay the experiment with 3 replications during the Rabi seasons of 2023 and 2024. Among the Establishment Technologies (ET), higher plant height was measured in ET-7 at 40 DAS (74.87 cm), 60 DAS (109.33 cm) and harvest stage (114.67 cm). Higher dry matter production of foxtail millet was recorded in ET-8 at 40 DAS (3772.40 kg/ha) & CT at 60 DAS (6035.87 kg/ha) and harvest stage (7541.90 kg/ha). In yield and economics parameters, ET-6 produced higher productive tillers (4.44/plant), grain yield (2340 kg/ha) & straw yield (4516 kg/ha) and it reflected on economic indices as higher net return (Rs. 47959) and benefit-cost ratio (1.65). ET-2 recorded the lowest values across all parameters during both the studies.