Evaluation of Improved Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) Varieties for Yield, Yield Attributes and Economics under Rainfed Conditions of Mayurbhanj, Odisha, India

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) is an important rainfed cereal whose varietal performance is strongly influenced by local agro-climatic conditions. A two-year on-farm evaluation was conducted during the kharif seasons of 2023 and 2024 in Sannai village of Jashipur block and Tilusahi village of Raruan block, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, to compare the improved varieties Arjun (OEB-526) and Shreeratna (OEB-601) with the local Similipal Mandia. The treatments were evaluated in a randomised block design with seven farmer-replications under a uniform recommended fertiliser dose of 60:20:20 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha⁻¹. Pooled analysis showed significant varietal differences in growth, yield attributes, grain yield, and economic returns. Shreeratna recorded the highest plant height (96.0 cm), leaf area index (4.4), effective tillers per hill (15.01), fingers per earhead (10.9), grains per earhead (1135), finger length (9.3 cm), and test weight (3.5 g). Its grain yield was 18.1 q ha⁻¹, compared with 15.8 q ha⁻¹ for Arjun and 10.1 q ha⁻¹ for Similipal Mandia. Shreeratna also recorded the highest gross return (Rs 63,849 ha⁻¹) and net return (Rs 35,127 ha⁻¹), despite the highest cultivation cost (Rs 28,721 ha⁻¹). Under the study conditions, Shreeratna showed the strongest combined agronomic and economic performance among the evaluated varieties.