Ragi Cultivation in India: Best Practices and Crop Calendar

Ragi, also known as finger millet, is a robust, popular food and marvellous grain crop in India. It is grown in both tropical and sub-tropical regions, mostly by the people of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Ragi provides many health benefits if consumed on a regular basis. In this blog post, we will discuss the best practices and crop calendar for ragi cultivation in India, with rich illustrations and graphics inline. We will also refer to various blogs and sources about ragi pre-harvest and post-harvest methods from ICAR, University of Agricultural Sciences of the states, GKVK and other government links.

Ragi Varieties

There are many improved varieties of ragi available in India, suitable for different agro-climatic conditions and seasons. Some of the popular ones are:

• VLMandua-204,VLMandua-146,VLMandua-314,VLMandua-315,H-22,K 1,Hullubele,Karegidda,Gidda ,Jasarilambi ,Madayyanagiri-1 ,Madayyanagiri-2, Dodda, Jadesanga and Jenumudda.
• VLMandua-124,VL Mandua-149, CO-9, CO-13, CO (Ra)-14 and TRY-1,Paiyur-1,Paiyur-2, VL Mandua-101.

The choice of variety depends on the season, soil type, rainfall pattern, pest and disease resistance, yield potential and quality traits. For more details on ragi varieties, you can refer to this link.

Ragi Season

Ragi is grown in all the cropping seasons in different parts of the country. More than 90 per cent of the area is under rainfed conditions, grown during Kharif season. The following table shows the season-wise ragi cultivation in different states.

Ragi Field Preparation and Sowing

For direct seeded crop, fall ploughing is advantageous for moisture conservation. In the month of April or May, one deep ploughing with mould board plough , followed by ploughing with wooden plough twice is necessary. Before sowing secondary tillage with cultivator and multiple tooth hoe to prepare smooth seed bed is necessary. Minor land smoothening before sowing helps in better in-situ moisture conservation.

Seeds are very small (400 seeds / g) and take 5 -7 days to germinate. Hence good seeds, land preparation helps in better germination, minimize weeds problem and effective soil moisture conservation.

Prepare a well pulverized seed bed for direct seeding of ragi. Apply FYM or compost 5t/ha and incorporate well into the soil along with fertilizer before sowing. Sow the direct seeded crop in line 22.5 cm apart, seed rate of 10kg/ha will be adequate for line sow crop.

For transplanting crop, seedlings should be raised in well prepared nurseries in an area of 500m2 for transplanting of 1 ha area. Apply 20 basket of FYM and small dose of fertilizer to help rapid growth of the seedlings. The seedling will be ready within 25 to 30 days. 8-10 kg of seeds will be sufficient for transplanting1 ha.

Line sowing is beneficial - helps in inter cultivation and control of weeds effectively. Maintenance of optimum plant population of 4- 5 lakh plants per ha is important.

Ragi Fertilization

Ragi responds well to the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. The recommended dose of fertilizer for ragi is 80 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O per hectare. Half of the nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus and potassium should be applied as basal at the time of sowing or transplanting. The remaining half of nitrogen should be applied in two equal splits at 30 and 45 days after sowing or transplanting.

Organic manures like FYM, compost, vermicompost, green manure, biofertilizers etc. can also be applied to improve the soil fertility and crop productivity. The application rate depends on the availability and quality of the organic sources.

Ragi Weed Management

Weed infestation is a major problem in ragi cultivation, especially in the early stages of crop growth. Weeds compete with the crop for nutrients, water, space and light, and reduce the yield and quality of ragi. Therefore, timely and effective weed control measures are essential for successful ragi production.

Hoeing and hand weeding are the most common methods of weed control in ragi. Hoe and hand weed on the 15th day of planting in light soils and 17th day of planting in heavy soils and subsequently on 30th and 32nd days, respectively. Allow the weeds to dry for 2 or 3 days after hand weeding before giving irrigation.

Herbicides can also be used to control weeds in ragi, but they should be applied with caution and as per the label recommendations. Some of the commonly used herbicides are:

• Pre-emergence application of pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i./ha or fluchloralin @ 0.75 kg a.i./ha or oxyfluorfen @ 0.15 kg a.i./ha or alachlor @ 1 kg a.i./ha or metolachlor @ 1 kg a.i./ha.
• Post-emergence application of 2,4-D sodium salt @ 0.8 kg a.i./ha or quizalofop ethyl @ 50 g a.i./ha or fenoxaprop-p-ethyl @ 60 g a.i./ha or haloxyfop-p-methyl @ 100 g a.i./ha.

Ragi Water Management

Ragi is mostly grown under rainfed conditions, but it can also be grown under irrigated conditions in some areas. Irrigation is beneficial for increasing the yield and quality of ragi, especially during critical stages of crop growth such as germination, tillering, flowering and grain filling.

The frequency and amount of irrigation depends on the soil type, rainfall pattern, season and crop stage. Generally, ragi requires about 500-600 mm of water during its life cycle. Irrigation should be given at an interval of 10-15 days during dry spells. Excess irrigation should be avoided as it may cause water logging, lodging and disease incidence.

Ragi Plant Protection

Ragi is susceptible to various pests and diseases that can cause significant losses in yield and quality. Some of the major pests and diseases of ragi are:

• Stem borer: It is a caterpillar that bores into the stem and feeds on the internal tissues, causing dead hearts and broken stems. Control measures include:
  • Use resistant varieties like GPU-28, GPU-45, GPU-48 etc.
  • Remove and destroy the affected plants.
  • Apply carbofuran granules @ 20 kg/ha or phorate granules @ 10 kg/ha in the soil at sowing or transplanting.
  • Spray chlorpyriphos @ 2 ml/litre or quinalphos @ 2 ml/litre or monocrotophos @ 1.6 ml/litre or acephate @ 1 g/litre at the initiation of pest attack and repeat after 15 days if needed.
• Shoot fly: It is a small fly that lays eggs on the leaf sheath near the base of the plant. The maggots feed on the tender tissues and cause drying and withering of central leaf whorl. Control measures include:
  • Use resistant varieties like GPU-28, GPU-45, GPU-48 etc.
  • Avoid early sowing or transplanting.
  • Apply carbofuran granules @ 20 kg/ha or phorate granules @ 10 kg/ha in the soil at sowing.

1. Start preparing the land for ragi cultivation. Ragi is a millet crop that grows well in dry and cool climates. It is rich in protein, calcium, iron and antioxidants.

2. Sow the ragi seeds in rows, about 2 cm deep and 15 cm apart. Use organic manure or compost to enrich the soil. Ragi requires less water than other crops, so avoid overwatering.

3. Monitor the crop health and watch out for pests and diseases. Some of the common problems are shoot fly, stem borer, blast disease and brown spot. Use natural or biological methods to control them.

4. Harvest the ragi crop when the grains are mature and dry. Cut the plants close to the ground and thresh them to separate the grains from the stalks. Store the grains in a cool and dry place.