In this article, we will be looking at Millet management procedures before it’s planting process.

It is important to return crop residues of the previous year into the soil where millet is to be planted. It is also important to grow millet in rotation with legume crops to provide natural soil enrichment.

Water Management for Millet

Millet requires relatively less water compared to maize and rice.
It requires an annual rainfall of 500-600mm
Integrated soil fertility management.

Recommended fertilizer rate per hectare is 60 kg N, 30 kg P2O5 and 30 kg K2O per hectare is recommended for optimum yield.

The fertilizer may be applied in one dose or split into two when soils are very sandy.
Apply your fertilizer on moist but not wet soil.
Do not apply when you anticipate rain as this may likely leach away your costly fertilizer.

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Weed Management for Millet

In some of the Millet growing areas, the weed population is not very intense; as a result, 2 hoe weeding (2-3 and 5-6 WAS) should eliminate weed competition.
Herbicides such as Atrazine + Terbuthylazine @1.5-2.0 kg /ha pre-emergence (3/4-1* MTM in 10 litre- Knapsack sprayer) can give very effective weed control.
*MTM=Milk Tin Measure= 170 ml capacity.

Safety use and handling of Pesticides for Millet

Precautions must be followed to ensure the safe use of Pesticides.
Even after use, the empty containers must be disposed of very well by burying them.
Instruction as stated on the label of the pesticide must be followed while only trained personnel should apply pesticides at recommended rate.

Ensure that the personnel should also wear protective clothing during application of pesticide Crop Maturity, harvesting and Storage.
The crop is harvested by cutting off the head when the grain is fully ripe. The ears are threshed by beating with sticks or using grain threshed where available.

 If you do not have basic knowledge about the management procedures in this article, you can consult the help of an agric extension officer to guide you.    

Hope these tips help you a lot?