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Field Preparation and Sowing

Field Preparation and Sowing:

Finger millet requires fine tilth. Therefore, the field should be ploughed twice, clods to be broken and leveled. In some parts of Sikkim seeds are sown and then transplanted in the main field. In such case, nursery bed/seed bed should be prepared with fine digging. The nursery bed should be raised about 15 cm high and free from clods.

Seed treatment with bio-fertilizers is not possible as the seeds are very small. So the bio-fertilizers should be applied directly in the field @ 3 to 4 kg/acre. Before applying the bio-fertilizers should be mixed with fine FYM and spread over the field.

Time of sowing:

Under Sikkim condition the crop is taken during the following season viz:-
 

  • Pangdur, 
  • Bhadaurey, 
  • Kartikey, and 
  • Mangsirey 

Bhadaurey Crop:


Bhaduray crop is cultivated in a less sloppy lands at mid and high hills and usually on the marginal lands up to an elevation of 1400 m above msl (mean sea level). Nursery is raised in the month of May-June on a well manured seedbed. The seed bed is prepared by ploughing, clod crushing, digging and leveling to a fine tilth. The seed is sown on the seed bed and lightly raked to cover over. If possible the seed bed is to be covered with the leaves of trees (especially rato siris: Albizia marginata) which serve both as mulch for protection of splash action of rain. Thorough weeding of seedbed is very essential before transplanting to avoid weed transplanting along with the crop seedling. The seedlings are ready for transplanting after 20-25 days of sowing. 


Mangsirey Crop:

This is the main crop of Sikkim and is generally grown at 1750 m above msl. The seeds are sown in the nursery bed during the last week of June to early July and transplanted after kharif maize harvest during August at mid and lower hill in Sikkim. Seedling raising and field preparation for the crop is same as that of Bhadaurey crop. During this period the moisture content of the soil is very high, so one deep ploughing and soil turning is required. This is followed by digging and transplanting of seedling. The crop benefit from the residual effect of FYM/compost/dolomite/lime applied to previous maize crop. The seedlings become ready for transplanting after 20-25 days after sowing and transplanted in line @1 to 2 seedlings per hill in the filed. 

Pangdur Crop:

Pangdur crop is generally grown on sloppy or virgin land. The lands are cultivated with minimum tillage with shallow digging or even without digging. Such sloppy lands of mid and high hills are cleared of jungles/weeds spread over the fields and burn after few days of drying in the month of February-March. Shallow digging followed by broadcasting of seeds directly in the field and raking with sticks to cover over the seeds are limited operation done for this crop. The crop is thinned out after 20-30 days of germination. Application of manures and fertilizers are followed. Topdressing the crop with Nalphan @ 10 kg/ha at tillering stage has been proved effective. Harvesting of this crop is done during August-September, which becomes available for brewing to the hill people. 

Kartikey Crop:

Seeds are sown in the nursery during the second fortnight of May to first fortnight of June. Seedbed site selection, seedbed preparation, sowing, mulching, manuring, weeding, seedling treatment with bio-fertilizers etc. are similar to that of Bhadaurey crop. The seedlings are ready for transplanting as relay crop in the standing maize as maize do not mature during that time at the mid hills in Sikkim.

Since the crop is taken as relay crop, the field preparation for transplanting in the field differs. The lowers leaves of maize, weeds, etc are collected and heaped in small patches in the field and buried with spade by digging the field. This will in turn used as manure later on. The seedlings are then transplanted manually by pressing the roots of the seedlings with the thumb on the freshly prepared field. Rest methods of cultivation are similar to Bhadaurey crop.

Seed Rate:

Seed requirement varies from 8 to 10 kg/ha in case of line sowing. When crop is raised by transplanting 5 kg/ha seed is sufficient for raising nursery. If seeds are directly sown without transplanting, 10 kg seed rate is adequate for one hectare.

Methods of Sowing in the main field:

The following method are used for sowing
i. Broadcasting,
ii. Dibbling of seeds,
iii. Drilling of seeds, and
iv. Transplanting.

Line sowing is better method than broadcasting. In this method, seeds are sown in the main field in lines. The spacing followed are 20-25 cm between lines and 8-10 cm within a line.

In areas where adequate moisture is available the crop can be raised by transplanting method which gives higher yield than broadcasting method. The crop does not lodge during rains. The seeds are raised in a well prepared nursery beds during the months of May-June and the seedlings becomes ready for transplanting after 3 to 4 weeks. Before pulling the seedlings the nursery should be irrigated. Field should be well prepared before transplanting. The two seedlings should be transplanted at a distance of 25 x 8-10 cm or 20 x 10 cm at a depth of 2-3 cm.

The optimum age of seedling for transplanting depends on variety and its duration. Transplanting generally dine manually by pressing its roots with thumbs on wet or loose soil.

In Sikkim broadcasting is generally used for Pangdur crop (February-March). Dibbling and drilling of seeds are not practiced. The most common method followed is transplanting. The method adopted may be because of high rainfall condition of the state.

For Bhadurey crop nurseries are raised in the month of May-June and for Mangsirey crop. It is during July-August. Seedlings are ready for transplanting after 20-25 days and are transplanted in line @ 1 to 2 seedlings per hill, in the field.

Relay cropping with maize is also common in Sikkim. In this weeds are removed by hand and the soil is turned in with the help of spade when the maize is still in the field. The seedlings are then transplanted. Relay cropping is common with Mangsirey.

Seedling treatment:

Before transplanting, treatment of seedling with biofertilizers is beneficial for increasing the crop yield. The method of application is as follows.

  • Prepare the suspension of required amount of inoculate in water in the ratio of 1:10 or 2.5 kg/ha each of Azotobacter and phosphhotica in 2000 litres of water.
  • Dip the roots of seedlings in suspension and keep than immersed for about 20 minutes.
  • Take out the seedlings from the suspension and transplant than immediately.