ABSTRACT

Foxtail millet is one of the oldest cultivated small millest. The crop is generally cultivated in semi-arid regions; require less water, however, it does not recover well from drought conditions due to its shallow root system. Plants up to the age of 40 days are highly susceptible to blast. Downy mildew or green ear of Setaria has been reported from Japan, China, Russia, Manchuria, the south-eastern countries of Europe, America, and India. The primary infection occurs at seedling as systemic and secondary infection on older plants as local infection. Primary infection results in chlorosis of the leaves which turn whitish. Udbatta disease has been reported on foxtail and kodo millets. Sometimes, it has been observed on little as well as prosomillets. The disease has been reported to cause significant yield losses in areas where it is endemic, but generally its occurrence is sporadic and it is of minor importance.