Millet

Department of Millets

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.