Bajra

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Poales

Family: Poaceae

Subfamily: Panicoideae

Genus: Cenchrus

Species: C. americanus

ABOUT BAJRA

Bajra is a major crop in India and is widely grown in several states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. It is a drought-resistant crop and is well-suited to the arid and semi-arid regions of the country.vv

n India, bajra is an important staple food, particularly in rural areas, where it is consumed in various forms. Bajra roti, a flatbread made from bajra flour, is a popular dish in several regions of the country, especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Bajra is also used to make khichdi, a traditional Indian dish made with rice and lentils. Apart from its use as a food crop, bajra is also used as animal feed in India, particularly for cattle and poultry. It is an important source of nutrition for these animals, especially during periods of drought or scarcity of other feed sources.

Bajra cultivation in India has been steadily increasing in recent years, and the government has introduced various initiatives to promote its cultivation, such as subsidies for farmers and research and development programs to improve crop yield and quality.Overall, bajra is an important crop in India, both as a source of nutrition for people and as a feed source for animals. Its importance is likely to continue in the future, particularly as the country faces the challenges of climate change and food security.

GROWTH STAGES OF BAJRA

CLIMATE REQUIREMENT

Bajra is a crop that is well-suited to the climate conditions of India, particularly the arid and semi-arid regions. It is a drought-resistant crop and can grow in areas with low rainfall and high temperatures.In general, bajra requires a hot and dry climate with temperatures ranging from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius during the growing season. It can grow in areas with an annual rainfall of 400-600 mm, although it can also tolerate lower rainfall levels of around 250-300 mm.

Bajra is typically grown in areas with sandy or loamy soil, as it requires good drainage to thrive. The crop can also tolerate soil with low fertility, but it responds well to the addition of organic matter and fertilizer.In addition to climate and soil conditions, proper timing of planting is also important for the success of the crBajra is typically sown at the beginning of the monsoon season, around June or July, and harvested in SeptemberOctober. Proper spacing and weed management are also important factors to ensure a good yield.Overall, bajra is a crop that can grow well in the harsh climate conditions of many regions of India, making itimportant source of food and income for farmers in these areas.

SOIL

The crop has a wide adaptability as it may grow under different day lengths, temperature and moisture stress. Most of the varieties developed in India are photosensitive which helps in growing the crop during monsoon, rabi and arid season. It requires low annual rainfall ranging between 40-50 cm and dry weather. The crop may tolerate drought but cannot withstand high rainfall of 90 cm or above. Light soils of low inherent fertility good drainage, mild salinity are best type for this crop. Crop does not tolerate soil acidity

ERGOT-CLAVICEPS FUSIFORMIS

Disease Symptoms:

Cream to pink mucilaginous droplets of “honeydew” ooze out of infected florets on pearl millet panicles. Very soon the droplets dry and harden, and dark brown to black sclerotia develop in place of seeds on the panicle. Sclerotia are larger than seed and irregularly shaped, and generally get mixed with the grain during threshing. Relative humidity greater than 80% and 20 to 30 0C temperatures during flowering favours the disease.

SMUT - TOLYPOSPORIUM PENICILLARIAE

Disease Symptoms:

Initial symptoms noticed when the ovaries in the inflorescence get converted into black powdery mass (sori) in diseased flowers. In the initial stages sori appears to be shiny green in colour that slowly converted into brown to black at Seed gets replaced with fine grained black spores. Sori are covered by a thin slimy layer which gets ruptured to deliver spores at maturity. On maturity, spores delivered into air which are responsible for infection of disease-free.

RUST - PUCCINIA PENNISETI ZIMM

Disease Symptoms:

Initial symptoms appear as uredinia pustules with circular and reddish-brown to reddish orange coloured uredospores. Death of the diseased leaf occurs from top to bottom. At the later stages, telia replace uredinia which are black, ovoid, and subepidermal. Cluster of spores (urediniospores) are responsible for spreading the rust disease among the crops. The leaves get wilted from top to bottom. If disease incidence is higher more rust pustules can appear on stems and the plants will fall down.