ABSTRACT

Finger millet is widely grown in South Asia and Africa. It was domesticated, initially in the highlands of Eastern Africa [1-3]. Later, it spread into tropics of Central and Eastern Africa. Finger millet (E.coracana subsp coracana) was regularly cultivated by people inhabiting Southern Indian Neolithic settlements, around 2nd millennium B.C. [4-7]. Seed and plant material attributable to E. coracana were obtained from Neolithic phase-3 sites near Hullur in North Karnataka [4]. There are suggestions that finger millet was exported from Africa to Southern Indian Peninsula between 2000-1500 B.C. During Medieval times, finger millet found greater acceptance among farmers in South India. During 18th and 19th centuries, finger millet cultivation spread rapidly into southern Indian plains. According to Buchanan [8], farmers in Southern Karnataka grew at least three types of finger millet. They were called Cari (black), Kempu (red) and Hulupuria. All three types of finger millets were equally productive. They yielded about 23-24 bushels/ac (1 bushel = 27.5 kg grains). The hulupuria types were prone to high dehiscence at the time of harvest. Finger millet was rotated with other cereals like Jola (Jowar) and Tovary (pigeonpea) on sandy (Marulu) and Doray soils. Black soil or Erray bhumi were highly fertile and best suited. Over all, a section of Southern Indians depended on finger millet for carbohydrates and used its stover to feed animals (Table 1). Naturally, it found easy acceptance among farmers. As a result, finger millet agroecosystem spread into large portions of dry land zones of South India [9, 10].