A study on constraints faced by finger millet growers in adoption of nutrient management practices in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Finger millet is an important minor millet crop grown in India. It has the potential to grow in drought and unfavourable agro-climatic conditions. Nutrient management practices can improve the production and productivity of finger millet in the country. There are several factors preventing farmers from adopting nutrient management practices in finger millet cultivation. Hence, the study was conducted to find out the constraints faced by finger millet growers in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. A sample of 120 finger millet growers was randomly selected from the Thally and Kelamangalam blocks of the district. From the study, it was found that the major constraints faced by the finger millet growers were lack of awareness, difficulty in soil sample collection, difficulty in understanding soil test based recommendations, the bulkiness of the organic input, lack of information about the recommended dosage of NPK, lack of awareness about micronutrients, high cost of fertilizers and non-availability of labour during peak season. Based on the findings it was suggested to train the farmers on nutrient management aspects, strengthen the co-operative society, and create awareness about the benefits of soil testing, micronutrients and bio-fertilizers to ensure the greater adoption of nutrient management practices by finger millet growers.