Weed management finger millet small millets early weeding inter cultivation rainfed organic.
How to control weeds in ragi and small millets without losing yield?
SSaravanan9mo ago · 320 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓9mo ago
Weed control in ragi and small millets is most critical in the first three to four weeks, when weeds compete strongly with the slow growing young crop. The most reliable approach is timely manual weeding and inter cultivation, with the first weeding at about 15 to 20 days and a second at about 30 to 35 days after sowing or transplanting. Line sowing or transplanting in rows makes inter cultivation with a hoe or wheel weeder much easier than broadcast crops. Keeping the field weed free in this early window protects most of the yield. Where labour is short, a recommended pre emergence herbicide can be used, but confirm the exact product, dose and crop safety with your KVK before applying, as options for millets are limited.
MMurthy9mo ago
In Salem the first weeding makes or breaks the ragi crop. If I delay past three weeks the weeds take over and yield drops badly. Transplanting in rows lets me run a wheel hoe quickly.
KKannan9mo ago
I keep my small millets in lines so I can hoe between rows. Broadcast plots are very hard to weed. Two timely weedings are usually enough for a clean crop.
SSelvam9mo ago
A wheel hoe between the rows saves a lot of labour cost compared to hand pulling everything. It only works if the crop is in straight lines, so line sowing or transplanting pays off here too.
RRamasamy8mo ago
Be very careful with any herbicide on small millets, the safe options are few and a wrong product can damage the crop. I only use one after the KVK confirmed it is safe and told me the exact dose. When unsure I stick to hand weeding.
PPeriyasamy8mo ago
Doing the weeds early also keeps the field clean for the next crop because fewer weeds set seed. The little extra work in the first month pays back for seasons. Late weeding only removes the big weeds after they already robbed the crop.