Pearl millet stover productivity in crop-livestock farming system of arid zone: current status and opportunities for enhancement

Abstract

Pearl millet is the most widely grown cereal in hot and arid regions of north-western India and is valued for both stover and grain. The grain is used for human consumption and its dry stover is a vital fodder resource for ruminant animals. The present paper reports trends in pearl millet stover production over a period of six decades and reviews prospects of enhancing it further. The estimated dry stover production of pearl millet has been increased from 8.8 m tons in 1950 to 21.8 m tons in 2010 due to increase in productivity at the rate of 22 kg/ha/year owing to adoption of high yielding cultivars and suitable agro-production technologies. Two approaches followed to improve quantity and qualities of pearl millet stover include crop management and genetic enhancement. Agronomic practices like fertilizer application, planting density, and time and method of harvesting have been utilized to significantly improve stover yield. A good range of genetic variation and moderate to high estimates of heritability have been observed in pearl millet for stover yield and quality suggesting that there exists good opportunities to further improve both traits. A greater emphasis is currently being laid in Indian national programme of pearl millet improvement on the development of dual-purpose pearl millet cultivars that can provide high stover productivity without compromising their grain productivity.