Millet Cultivation: How to Grow This Sustainable Crop

Millet is a highly underrated yet easy-to-grow sustainable crop suitable for any arid soil. They are a group of highly small-seeded grasses that are grown all over the world as grain, and fodder. Their nutrient-rich composition enables them to prevent and cure several health issues.

It can be grown in regions where other cereal crops, like wheat, would not thrive because of its resistance to difficult growing conditions. Summer annual pearl millet is considered the best type of millet as it does well with double cropping and rotations. In India, millet is most commonly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

Cultivating millets is not as huge of a task as we deem it to be; from weeding to harvesting, if the grower is using the right equipment, and fertilizer and taking the required steps, millets are highly convenient to grow. Here, we take you through the process of cultivating millets.

Weed Management:

Prepare the seedbed for millet by removing the weeds as weeds are millets’ biggest enemies. They compete with the crops for nutrients, soil, moisture, sunlight, and space resulting in reduced yields, lower grain quality, and higher production costs. Weeds also harbor insect pests and diseases; therefore, it is necessary to maintain weeds not only during land preparation but throughout the growing periods of the crop.

Manual and mechanical weeding is by far the most widely followed method of weed control in millets. Growers can use brush cutters to remove all the weeds from the soil. Stihl’s powerful FS 120 Brushcutter is one of the best in the market right now as it is lightweight and easy-to-use equipment.

A firm, compact seedbed devoid of weeds and stubbles is required for millet. To get the soil to a fine tilth, one deep plowing should be done, for which farmers can use Stihl’s MH 710 Power Tiller with the Plough attachment, followed by two or three harrowings.

Sow the Seed:

For proso millet, a 20 lb/acre sowing rate is advised. The sowing rate for foxtail 2 millet is 15 pounds per acre. Millets are typically sown with a grain drill at a one-inch depth. Despite the seed's modest size, if a hard crust doesn't form, it could grow excessive initial internode elongation and even deeper. The drill's press wheels will make the seedbed harder and help the stand take root. Millets struggle to outdo weeds; thus, heavy planting rates are necessary to create a dense stand.

Reap the Benefits:

Millet is used as both fodder and grain crop. To harvest millet for fodder purposes, harvesting should be done 50-60 days after sowing. Harvest the millets for grains when the grasses and seed heads have turned golden brown by hand or with the use of a mechanical thresher, farmers can also use Stihl’s FS 120 Brushcutter with harvesting attachment.

To get a better millet yield, use Stihl’s Agriculture equipment. Visit their official website to explore more of their machines. For more information about these agriculture machines, the contact on the details given below:

Official Email ID- info@stihl.in

Contact Number- 9028411222