Varietal selection in finger millet (Eleusine coracana) using indigenous knowledge and breeders’ approach

To understand the elitness of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn] varieties, sixteen genotypes were raised at Millet Breeding Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during kharif 2010. A group of 40 farmers including 21 farm women participated in the field exposure visit. Participatory varietal selection (PVS) approach was applied to select high yielding elite finger millet genotypes along with certain quality parameters like grain size, grain color, earhead shape, maturity duration and drought, insect pests and disease resistance using farmers'indigenous knowledge and breeders’ scientific approaches. Most of the farmers preferred a genotype having high yield potential along with quality parameters like compact ear head, copper red colored grains and resistant to lodging, drought, insect pests and diseases. Based on the farmers’ preference scores on different quality traits, the genotypes TNAU 1066, DHRS1-1, VR708 and OEB532 were ranked 1,2,3 and 4, respectively. Menfarmers preferred as hort duration variety with, resistance to lodging, drought, pests and diseases, which attributed to ease in cultivation and reduction in cost of cultivation. The overall appearance and cooking quality parameters of the grain on the other hand attributed to the selection of a variety by women farmers. Their decision making revolved around storage, marketing and processing properties of the genotype.