Seed Production

Reference: Seed Production Techniques for Cereals and Millets by CIKS and RRAN. December 2013.

Here's a manual describing Millet Seed Technology, Seed Production, Quality Control & Legal Compliance for major and minor millets in India from the Indian institute of millets. It describes the origin of the millet crop, basic botany, seed production, standards and quality control for the millet.

The best season for seed production is December – January. Pollination should not coincide with rains for quality and effective seed setting. The temperature of 37°c is favourable for seed setting.

Method of seed production

Finger Millet or Ragi is a self-pollinated crop and should be raised in isolation. The isolation distance maintained between the varieties is 3 metres for both foundation and certified seed production to maintain the varietal purity.

Seed production stages: Breeder seed --> Foundation seed --> Certified seed

Land selection

Ragi can be grown in poor to fertile soil. The crop can tolerate salinity better than any other crops. The selected land should be free from volunteer plants. The land should not be cultivated with same crop in the previous season. Land should be ploughed 2 - 3 times to get fine tilth and levelled.

Seed selection and sowing

Ragi is a season bound crop and the best season to take up sowing is December - January and June - July. Seeds used for seed production should be of good quality certified seeds from an authentic source. Seeds should be healthy with required germination percentage. Recommended seed rate is 2 kg/acre (5 kg/ha). Selected seeds should be treated with Azospirillum @ 125gms/kg of seeds.

Nursery preparation

Nursery should be raised in an area of 500m2 to plant one hectare of main field (200m2 per acre). Selected nursery plot should be ploughed for two to three times to have fine tilth of soil. Raised beds should be formed and shallow rills are formed over the beds by passing the fingers vertically. Seed should be broadcasted and covered with a thin layer of farmyard manure @ 500 kg/ha (200 kg/acre).

Main field preparation

The main field is prepared with 2 – 3 ploughing to make it a fine tilth and formed into ridges and furrows. During final plough apply compost or farmyard manure @ 5 tonnes/acre (12.5 tonnes/ ha) and incorporate into the soil. 20 - 25 days old seedlings transplanted to the main field. Two seedlings per hill should be planted. Follow a spacing of 15× 15 cm.

Nutrient management

Before final ploughing compost or farmyard manure @ 5 tonnes/acre (12.5 tonnes/ha) should be applied and ploughed into the soil. Instead of this cattle penning can also be practiced. 50 kg neem cake and 500 kg vermicompost per acre (125 kg neem cake and 1250 kg vermicompost per hectare) should be applied as basal manure. After first weeding at 20 – 25 days after sowing first top dressing should be done using enriched vermicompost (2 kg Azospirillum, 17 2 kg Phosphobacterium and 2 litres Panchagavya mixed with 250 kg vermicompost and kept covered for a week and then used) @ 250 kg/acre (600 kg/ha) followed by the second top dressing at 40 – 45 days after sowing using 25 kg neem cake and 250 kg vermicompost per acre (60 kg neem cake and 600 kg vermicompost per hectare). During flower initiation stage 10% tender coconut solution (1 litre tender coconut water + 9 litres of water) should be sprayed. For rainfed crop, 50 kg pungam cake and 250 kg vermicompost should be applied as basal manure just before sowing. First top dressing should be done at 20 – 25 days after sowing using 250 kg/ acre of enriched vermicompost. At 40 – 45 days after sowing apply 25 kg pungam cake and 250 kg vermicompost per acre (60 kg pungam cake and 600 kg vermicompost per hectare) as second top dressing. Spray 10% tender coconut water at the time of flower initiation. All the above mentioned inputs should be applied to the rainfed crop only when the soil is wet.

Weed management

The seed production field should be maintained weed free from the initial stage. The first weeding should be done on 15th day after planting and followed by the second one on 30th day. After hand weeding allow the weeds to dry for 2 – 3 days.

Irrigation

The irrigation should be done once a week after life irrigation on the third day of sowing. Irrigation during flowering and grain setting stages are very critical.

Pest and disease management

Ragi is affected by pests and diseases like pink stem borer, aphids, root aphids, earhead caterpillars, blast, brown spot, mottle streak virus etc., at different growth stages.

Roguing

Roguing should be done often to remove the offtypes, volunteer plants and diseased plants from the seed production field to avoid the genetic contamination. Roguing should be done upto the flowering stage. Maximum percentage of offtype permitted at the final inspection is 0.05% for foundation and 0.10% for certified seed production.

Field inspection

A minimum of two inspections should be done between flowering and maturity stages by the Seed Certification Officer. The first inspection is done at the time of flowering to check the isolation and off-types and the second done during the maturity stage prior to harvest to check the off-types and to estimate the yield.

Harvesting and processing

Harvest is done once the earheads are physiologically mature. Physiologically mature earheads will turn from brown to green colour. Harvesting is done in two pickings since, the maturation of the earheads are not uniform because of the tillering habit of the crop. Second harvesting should be done seven days after the first one. Mature earheads should be harvested and threshed with bamboo sticks. Threshed grains are further cleaned by winnowing.

Drying and storage

The cleaned seeds should be sun dried to attain a safe moisture level of 12%. Care should be taken while drying to avoid mechanical injury to the seeds and contamination. Seeds can be stored upto 13 months under proper storage conditions.

Seed standards

The percentage of minimum physical purity of certified and foundation seeds should be 97% with a minimum of 75% of germination capacity and 12% of moisture content. The presence of inert matter should not exceed 2.0%.

Here's a training module outlining quality seed production basics for CSO/collectives by University of Wageningen with ISSD, Ethiopia. Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Ethiopia has developed this for many seed varieties typically grown in the global south, including finger millet.