Effect of Seed Rate and Nitrogen Nutrition on Rice Fallow Finger Millet- A Review

Abstract— Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.)), a climate resilient and nutrient dense cereal, holds significant potential for sustainable intensification of rice fallow systems in India. Its rich profile of calcium, dietary fibre, and essential amino acids makes it a critical crop for addressing nutritional security, particularly in dryland and tribal regions. However, suboptimal agronomic practices, especially with regard to seed rate and nitrogen nutrition, continue to limit its productivity in rice fallow conditions. This review synthesizes recent research findings to evaluate the influence of seed rate and nitrogen management on the growth, yield attributes, and resource-use efficiency of finger millet. Studies indicate that appropriate seed rate enhances plant population, tillering, and weed suppression, while optimizing nitrogen levels significantly boosts chlorophyll content, dry matter accumulation, grain yield, and nitrogen use efficiency. Findings from trials conducted across diverse agro ecological zones including Zaid and summer seasons demonstrate that both excess and deficient nitrogen applications negatively affect yield and grain quality. Furthermore, the interaction between seed rate and nitrogen shows synergistic effects on canopy architecture, nutrient uptake, and panicle development, particularly under residual soil moisture conditions typical in rice fallows. Despite extensive field experimentation, region specific recommendations for rice fallow ecosystems remain limited. This review reveals the importance of optimizing both seed rate (typically 6–15 kg/ha) and nitrogen management (60–80 kg N/ha) to unlock the genetic yield potential of finger millet and promote its adoption in underutilized rice fallow areas for greater food and nutritional security.