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ESTABLISHMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT
The Millet Breeding Station, Coimbatore is
situated in the North Western zone of Tamil Nadu. It is
located at a distance of two kilometers on the northern
side of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University campus. It is
the oldest research station in Tamil Nadu, started in
the year 1923, situated at an elevation of 411.98 m and
between 11oN latitude and 77oE longitude. The total area
is about 69 ha having red and black soils with 8.5 pH.
The average rainfall at this centre is 730 mm per year.
Millets from a large heterogeneous group of
grains such as Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.),
Pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum L.), Maize (Zea
mays L.) and six small millets viz., finger
millet (Eleusine coracana L.), Kodo millet (Paspalum
scorobiculatum L.), foxtail millet (Setaria
italica L.), little millet (Panicum miliare L.),
Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) and barnyard
millet (Echinochloa colona).
After the formation of the University, the
research and education capabilities have been greatly
strengthened and research efforts have been reorganised
with a sharp focus on field problems and inter
disciplinary approach.
OBJECTIVES
-
Development
of sorghum variety resistant to grain mold disease
suitable for kharif season.
-
Evolution
of dual purpose early maturing variety/hybrid suitable
for rainfed/ irrigated situation in pearl millet and
sorghum.
-
Development
of high yielding dent type single cross
hybrid/variety suitable for rainfed/ irrigated
situation in maize.
ORGANIZATIONAL
FUNCTION AND FINANCIAL PROFILE
This department headed by the Professor and Head
(Millets) is functioning under the Directorate of Centre
for Plant Breeding and Genetics.
RESEARCH
Schemes in operation
|
Sl.
No.
|
Schemes
|
Budget
for the year
2003-2004
|
|
1
|
Millet Main
|
64,45,000
|
|
2
|
ICAR Sorghum
|
22,96,000
|
|
3
|
ICAR Pearlmillet
|
12,75,000
|
|
4
|
ICAR Small millets
|
24,15,000
|
|
5
|
ICAR Maize
|
10,27,000
|
|
6
|
NATP Sorghum
|
4,62,000
|
|
7
|
BRNS Sorghum
|
3,
55,764
|
|
8
|
UPS Babycorn
|
1,11,000
|
|
9
|
Venture capital
|
1,00,000
|
Varieties released 2004
Pearl millet -
CO(Cu) 9
Ragi
-
CO(Ra) 14
Popular varieties / hybrids released from Department of
Millets
|
Sorghum
|
CO 26, CO(S) 28, COH 4
|
|
Pearl millet
|
COH(Cu) 8
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|
Maize
|
COH(M) 4, CO 1
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Ragi -
|
CO 13
|
|
Tenai
|
CO 6
|
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Samai
|
CO 3
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|
Panivaragu
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CO 4
|
|
Kudiraivali
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CO 1
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Varagu
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CO 3
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SEMINARS
/ WORKSHOP / TRAININGS ORGANIZED
i.
Training imparted to extension personnel/others
|
Title
of the training
|
Duration
|
Sponsored
by
|
To
whom offered
|
|
One
day training on sorghum varieties and production
technologies
|
One
day
|
DEE
|
AAOs
from Dept. of Agriculture
|
|
One
day training on Maize sorghum and Bajra hybrid
seed production
|
One
day
|
TNAU
|
NGOS
& Private seed produces
|
|
Hybrid
Seed Production in Maize
|
One
day
|
Seed
technology
|
Farmers
and seed
producers
|
|
Small
millets production technology
|
One
day
|
Dept.
of Millets
|
Farmers
and officials from DHAN foundation
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ii.
Dissemination to farmers
|
Technology
transfer
|
No.programme/
trials
|
|
Improved
varieties and production technologies under FLD
|
Sorghum
- 40
Small
millet - 35
Pearl
millet - 25 demonstrations
|
|
Demonstrations
on post harvest technology under NATP/OFT
|
Sorghum
- 19 OFT
|
|
OFT
in popcorn
|
7
|
|
Field
days to transfer production technologies
|
Sorghum
- 2 No
Pearl
millet
- 1 No
Small
Millet
- 1 No
|
|
Others
|
|
Queries
replied
|
Sorghum
- 128
Pearl
millet
- 116
Maize
-
182
Small
Millet
- 42
|
|
Exhibition
during farmers day
|
1
|
|
Exhibition
during CODDISSIA
|
1
|
EXTENSION
v
Improved
varieties and production technologies under FLD
v
Demonstrations
on post harvest technology under NATP/OFT
v
OFT
in popcorn
v
Field
days to transfer production technologies
v
Exhibition
during farmers day
v
Exhibition
during CODDISSIA
INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPED
|
|
|
Value
|
Source
of funding
|
|
Buildings
|
Renovation
work in sorghum laboratory
Repairing
the roofs and flooring
|
65,000
10,000
|
NATP
Sorghum
ICAR-Pearl
millet
|
|
Equipments
|
Ventilating
seed drier
Dehuller
Mist
micro irrigation system (sprinkler)
Mist
Micro Irrigation system (Micro sprinkler)
Seed
hardness tester
Seed
storage cabinet
CIAE
plot thresher with prime mover
Single
earhead thresher with prime mover
|
1,99,254
57,358
1,80,034
1,66.924
2,11,056)
36,851
16,000
15,000
|
NATP
Sorghum
NATP
Sorghum
NATP
Sorghum
NATP
Sorghum
NATP
Sorghum
ICAR-Pearl
millet
ICAR-Pearl
millet
ICAR-Pearl
millet
|
|
Vehicle
|
Mahindra
marshall 2002 jeep
|
3,94,000
|
ICAR
Small millets
|
|
Others
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Intercom
facilities
|
30,000
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ICAR
Small millets
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COMPUTER
FACILITIES
Two computers are available with established
statistical packages for analysis of data.
LIBRARY
FACILITIES
Annual reports, research highlights of various
millets research centres and books on millets
improvement are being maintained.
FUTURE THRUST
- Developing short duration dual purpose drought resistant
varieties with tall stature and multiple resistance to
major pest and diseases. (Sorghum, Pearlmillet)
- Diversification
of male sterile cytoplasm and development of new
male sterile lines and identification of potential
restorers. (Sorghum, Pearlmillet)
- Development
of varieties with QPM and other grain qualities
suitable for agro -processing and value addition.
- Development
of single cross hybrids with downy mildew resistance
and dent type yellow bold grain suitable for
poultry.
- Evolving
wheat varieties suitable for plains of Tamil Nadu
- Development
of drought tolerant small millets varieties to
replace existing varieties for the dry and hilly
tracts of Tamil Nadu.
- Tagging
of genes responsible for quality characters through
development of RILs mapping population
Contact
Us
Director
Center for Plant
Breeding and Genetics
TNAU,
Coimbatore 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India.
Phone
: 091-0422-5511200
E-mail : millets @tnau.ac.in
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