Collection: JOWAR

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Jowar is also known as Sorghum. Jowar is one of the most vital cereal crops, and it has been cultivated for thousands of years. Jowar originated in Africa, where it spread across other continents.

Jowar grain contains carbohydrates, proteins, and dietary fibre. Other than that, the jowar grain also contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and antioxidants. Jowar grain is gluten-free.

Major jowar-producing countries are the United States, India, Nigeria, and Mexico. Major Jowar-producing states of India are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Climate for Jowar Cultivation

Jowar is well-suited to India's hot and dry climate, making it an ideal crop for cultivation. Jowar crop thrives within an optimal temperature range of 26°C to 33°C. A notable strength of the jowar crop is its remarkable drought tolerance, supported by the jowar plant's deep root system, which efficiently absorbs moisture from deeper soil layers. This adaptability ensures reliable growth of the Jowar plant even in regions with limited rainfall.

However, while Sorghum can withstand high temperatures during the grain-filling stage, prolonged exposure to extreme heat can significantly reduce both sorghum grain yield and quality.

Soil Requirements for Sowing Sorghum Seeds

Sorghum grows in different soil types, from heavy black soils to red soils, but grows especially well in heavy black soils. The best yields of sorghum crops are usually seen in clay loam soils. On the other hand, Jowar doesn't do well in gravelly or marshy soils. Soils with a neutral pH of around 7.0. are suitable for jowar crop growth.

Land Preparation for Sowing Jowar Seeds

Proper soil management and land preparation are key to increasing jowar production. In black cotton soil areas, where weeds are common, usually ploughing the land and following up with harrowing is done. For good Jowar grain production, the soil should be well-tilled using an iron plough, country plough, or even a tractor for discing or ploughing.

Typically, the land is ploughed thoroughly, and then a cultivator or blade harrow is used to prepare it for sowing Jowar seeds. Adding cattle manure at about 12 tons per hectare and mixing it into the soil during ploughing or harrowing can significantly improve soil fertility. The land is then levelled with a blade harrow 2-3 times.

Jowar Seeds and Propagation Material

Selection of a Jowar Variety: Select a Jowar variety based on the climate, season, local market preferences, etc.

Procurement of Jowar Seeds: High-quality Jowar seeds should be procured for better yield. At Desikheti, a wide range of quality Jowar seeds are available with doorstep delivery.

Jowar Seed Rate: Around 3 to 6 kg of Jowar seeds are sown per acre of land.

Jowar Seed Treatment: Jowar seeds sold by private companies are generally treated with chemicals before sale. However, if the Jowar seeds are not pre-treated before purchase, treat them with Thiram or Carbendazim at 2 g per kg of seed before sowing.

Time of sowing Jowar seeds

The sowing time for Sorghum depends on the season and location.

• Sowing Jowar seeds in Kharif Season: For the kharif crop, sowing of Jowar seeds is done in June and July after the southwest monsoon begins. During this time, Jowar is mostly grown on lighter soils like red and chalka soils.
• Sowing Jowar seeds in Rabi Season: The rabi jowar crop is usually rainfed. The Jowar seeds are sown in October after the southwest monsoon ends. This crop is typically grown in heavy black soils.
• Sowing Jowar seeds in the Summer Season: In the summer, Jowar is grown as an irrigated crop. The best time for sowing jowar seeds is from the second half of January to the first week of February.

Method of Sowing Jowar seeds

Sorghum is planted using different methods depending on the region. The method chosen depends on the local soil, climate, and labour availability.

• Broadcasting: This method involves scattering jowar seeds over the field. It requires more jowar seed (12-18 kg/ha) and doesn't distribute the jowar seeds evenly, so it's not widely used. This method is mainly practised in irrigated areas, especially for fodder sorghum.
• Drilling: Sorghum Seeds are planted using seed drills or tools like gorru. The sorghum seed rate is around 8-12 kg/ha, with a spacing of 45x15-20 cm and a sowing depth of 3-4 cm. This method works well in both light soils in dry areas and heavier black soils.
• Dibbling: Although it's labour-intensive, dibbling uses less jowar seed (6 kg/ha) and ensures even plant growth. Jowar Seeds are placed in furrows with a spacing of 45x15 cm and a depth of 2.5-5 cm.
• Transplanting: In areas with enough rainfall, such as parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, jowar seedlings are transplanted from nurseries into the fields.

Nutrient Management for Jowar Cultivation

Both nitrogen and phosphorus are vital for boosting jowar grain yields. Phosphorus has a more noticeable effect on Jowar grain yield when combined with nitrogen. potassium is only needed in areas where there is a deficiency of potash.

For high-yielding varieties (HYVs), a general fertilizer recommendation is 80 kg of nitrogen, 40 kg of phosphorus, and 20 kg of potassium per hectare. Half of the nitrogen and all of the phosphorus and potassium should be applied as a basal dose. The remaining half of the nitrogen can be applied 30 to 35 days after sowing jowar seeds.

Irrigation Management for Jowar Farming

Jowar is primarily a rainfed crop with a deep, extensive fibrous root system, which makes it drought-resistant. However, Jowar benefits from irrigation and responds well to it. On average, the Jowar crop needs around 6 to 9 irrigations, depending on the climate.

Irrigation is crucial during five key stages of jowar growth:

• Germination - At the time of sowing Jowar seeds
• Knee-high stage - 30-35 days after sowing Jowar seeds
• Flag leaf stage - 50-55 days after sowing Jowar seeds
• Flowering - 70-75 days after sowing Jowar seeds
• Grain formation - 100-105 days after sowing Jowar seeds

The highest water demand occurs during the booting to the seed-setting stage of Jowar plants.

Weed Management in Sorghum Farming

In rainfed crops, inter-cultivation is done between the rows to control weeds. This starts when the Jowar crop is about 15-20 days old and is repeated every 10 days.

For irrigated crops, hand weeding is carried out within the first 20 days after sowing Jowar seeds.

Pest and Disease Management in Jowar Farming

Common Pests of Jowar 

Pink Stem borer (Sesamia inferens)

• After hatching, young larvae gather inside the Sorghum leaf whorls and feed on the folded central leaves, causing small pinhole-like damage.
• Prolonged feeding can kill the central shoot of the Sorghum plant, leading to a condition known as "dead heart."
• As they grow, the second instar larvae leave the whorls and move to neighboring Sorghum plants.
• Once on a new Sorghum plant, the larvae burrow into the stem, creating tunnels that stunt the plant's growth.
• Infested Sorghum plants become weak and produce smaller earheads.
• Damaged Sorghum plant stems, particularly in tall local varieties, are more likely to break during heavy rain or high winds.

Stem borer (Chilo partellus)

• The caterpillar burrows into the stem and feeds on the central shoot, often affecting more than one caterpillar per sorghum plant.
• As they continue feeding, the central shoot dries up, resulting in a "dead heart."
• Later, the caterpillar acts as an internode borer, remaining in the sorghum plant until harvest.
• Young sorghum cobs may also be attacked, leading to a significant reduction in both yield and quality.

Leaf roller (Marasmia trapezalis)

• The leaf roller usually affects young sorghum crops.
• It feeds on the leaf epidermis, creating long, narrow patches on the sorghum leaves.
• The tips of the Sorghum leaves dry up as a result of the feeding.
• Sorghum Varieties with broad leaves tend to be affected more severely.

Earhead bug (Calocoris angustatus)

• The adults and nymphs live inside the earhead, feeding on the milky fluid from the tender, ripening sorghum grains.
• This feeding causes the sorghum grains to shrivel and become chaffy, making them unsuitable for consumption.
• Fully ripened sorghum grains are generally not affected by this pest.

Sorghum midge (Contarinia sorghicola)

• The fly attacks the developing sorghum grains, with its larvae feeding inside them.
• This feeding disrupts sorghum grain formation, causing the grains to shrivel.
• In severe infestations, the entire sorghum earhead may appear blighted or blasted.

Diseases of Jowar

Common Diseases of Jowar

Rust (Puccinia purpurea)

• The fungus affects the Sorghum crop at all stages of growth.
• Initially, Small reddish-brown flecks appear on the lower leaf surface of the Sorghum plant.
• Later, Pustules develop on both sides of the Sorghum leaf as purplish spots.
• Rust infection becomes more severe after the flag leaf stage of Sorghum Plants.

Sorghum Ergot (Claviceps sorghi)

• The disease affects individual Sorghum spikelets.
• Infected Sorghum florets secrete a creamy, sticky liquid known as honeydew.
• The Sorghum grain is replaced by long (1–2 cm), straight or curved sclerotia.
• White spots may appear on the soil surface near the base of infected sorghum plants, caused by honeydew drops falling to the ground.

Leaf blight (Exserohilum turcicum)

• The leaf blight pathogen also causes seed rot and seedling blight in Sorghum.
• Small, narrow, elongated spindle-shaped spots appear on the sorghum leaves.
• These spots grow larger and spread along the length of the sorghum leaf as the disease progresses.
• Long, elliptical necrotic lesions form with a straw-coloured centre and dark margins.
• Many lesions may merge, destroying large patches of Sorghum leaf tissue.
• This gives the Sorghum plant a burnt appearance and leads to premature drying of the leaves.

Covered smut (Sphacelotheca sorghi)

• The disease becomes visible during sorghum grain formation.
• Individual sorghum grains are replaced by smut sori.
• These sori may be confined to a specific part of the sorghum head or cover the entire inflorescence.
• The sori are dirty white to grey in colour, with an oval or cylindrical shape.
• The size, colour, and breakage of the sori can vary depending on the fungus race and the sorghum cultivar.

Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina)

• The disease causes sudden wilting and death of the Sorghum plant, leading to lodging.
• When split open, the pith of the infected Sorghum stalk is disintegrated, and the tissue shreds into fibres.
• Premature ripening occurs, causing poorly developed Sorghum heads.

Harvesting

The Sorghum crop is ready for harvest when the grains are fully ripe, firm, and have a moisture content of less than 25%. Typically, the Sorghum plants are either pulled out by the roots or cut at the base using sickles. In mixed cropping systems, the ears of Sorghum are harvested first, and the stalks are left to be cut at a later time. After harvesting, the sorghum plants are allowed to dry in the field for 3-4 days before the ears are removed. The straw is then stacked in the field for a week to ensure complete drying before it is collected and stored in the yard.

For Sorghum grown for fodder, it should be harvested at or just before 50% flowering.

For multi-cut varieties, the first harvest occurs about two months after sowing sorghum seeds, with subsequent cuts made 30-40 days after the first.

Sorghum Yield

The yield varies based on the variety, farm management practices, etc. Generally, the yield of sorghum ranges from 20 to 25 quintals per hectare in rainfed conditions and around 50 to 60 quintals per hectare in irrigated conditions.