Source: http://vasat.icrisat.org/crops/pearl_millet/pm_production/html/m12/index...

Harvesting and Storage of Pearl millet

Pearl millet should be harvested as early as possible to minimize losses due to birds, and bad weather.

Mature grain pearl millet in the field contains about 30% moisture. At moisture levels higher than 25%, the seeds are too soft to withstand the threshing action. The ideal moisture content for harvesting grain pearl millet is about 20%.

                    Tying of plants

Thin stems, heavy panicles , and profuse tillering may result in lodging of the plants.

The seeds in the panicles of lodged plants germinate in the moist field and thus affect grain yield and quality. Hence, the plants are tied together to prevent lodging of plants.

                    Pearl millet standability

Most standability concerns develop when growers leave pearl millet in the field until grain moisture is below 14%.

Harvesting at 20% moisture or less prevents a significant amount of standability problems.

The best stage to harvest pearl millet is when the plants reach the physiological maturity. Physiological maturity can be determined by the black (dark) spot at the bottom of the grain.When the crop matures the leaves turn yellow and present a dried up appearance.

The grains are hard and firm.The usual practice of harvesting pearl millet is cutting the ear-heads first and the stalks later.The stalks (straw) are cut after a week, allowed to dry and then stacked.

  Winnowing of Pearl millet

Winnowing of Pearl millet The harvested ear heads are dried before threshing.The grain is separated from the ear heads by using a mechanical thresher or by drawing a stone roller over the ear-heads or trampling under the feet of cattle.The separated grain is then cleaned by winnowing  and dried.

Conventional grain dryers or use of natural-air drying are options for drying the grain.Grain at or below 14% moisture is considered dry.For long-term storage (more than 6 months), grain moisture content should be a maximum of 13.5%.

   Mud bin to store pearl millet

Pearl millet grain is stored traditionally in mud bins or straw bins or bamboo bins or in metal bins.

Bamboo bin to store pearl millet

The storage structures in rural areas are not ideal from scientific-storage point of view, as substantial losses occur during storage of grain from insect pests, moulds, rodents, etc.

        Metal bin to store pearl millet

Keeping the requirements of the farmers in view, the Indian Grain Storage Institute (IGSI), Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, with its branches at Ludhiana and Hyderabad, India have developed several metal bins of different capacities for scientific storage of grain in rural areas.

                                           “Pusa” bin to store pearl millet