Source: http://vasat.icrisat.org/crops/pearl_millet/pm_production/html/m9_1/index.html

Seed and seed preparation in Pearl millet

A healthy crop with good yields starts with the use of well selected seeds for sowing.

To get the required plant stand, healthy and good ear-heads with well-filled seeds need to be selected at the time of harvesting. Seed from such ear-heads are stored in a well ventilated with low moisture conditions.Use certified quality seeds of hybrids and improved varieties recommended for the area.The seed should be treated with appropriate chemicals prior to planting to prevent seed-borne diseases as well as soil pests which are common in the field.The seeds are also treated with some biofertilizers for easy and enhanced availability of important nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.Seed hardening is also practiced for better germination.

Pearl millet seeds should be treated with recommended agro-chemicals following the given directions for use.

This seed treatment prior to sowing will help in preventing soil inhabiting insects and soil borne diseases. The seed treatment is particularly important where dry sowing prior to rains is practiced.

The following are the seed treatment practices:

Seed hardening is done by soaking the seeds in 2% (20 g in one liter of water) potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution for 6 hours. Use 350 ml of solution for soaking one kg of seed.Dry the seed in shade to original moisture level.Soak the seeds for 6 hours in 0.1% solution of Thio-urea as well as 10 ppm Kinetin before sowing. This treatment is equivalent in effect to spreading of 5 tones/ha of FYM.Seed soaking in 1% Calcium chloride or in plain water for 6 hours before sowing results in increased yield under drought conditions Seed treatment with biopesticide such as Trichoderma harzianum or T. viride using 4 g per kg or using Thiram 75 % WDP at 0.75 g per kg seed or with Thiram 75 % dust/ Captan 75% at 3 g per 1 kg of seed help against soil borne diseases.

The seeds of pearl millet are treated with the 300 mesh Sulfur powder at 4 g of sulfur per kg of seeds for controlling the smut disease.

The seeds are soaked in 30% salt solution (3 kg of common salt in 10 liters of water). Ergot affected seeds which float are removed to avoid the incidence of ergot disease.Seed treatment with Metalaxyl (Apron 35 SD) 6 g per kg seed controls downy mildew.

Treating the seeds with three packets each of Azospirillum (600 g) and Phosphobacterium will enhance the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Soaking the seed for one hour in 1% of 2-Chloroethanol plus 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution was found to be effective in increasing germination rates.

             Seed Treating Drum

The seed treatment is done manually for small amount of seeds. Large amount of seeds can be treated using a seed treating drum