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Guli Ragi Method - Ragi Cultivation - A farmers innovation



Despite resorting to high yielding varieties and application of fertilizers and chemicals, the farmers get at the most 15 quintals grain yield per acre. But the farmers from around Haveri Dist. Karnataka, India, practice a unique method of cultivating ragi called as –GULI METHOD (pit system). By adopting this method they harvest around 18-20 quintals of ragi per acre. This phenomenal result has made the farmers not to resort to hybrid ones. Guli Method is simple and can be adopted in any other places. The experienced farmers from Haveri district have designed and developed simple steps that can be adopted by any one who desires to adopt GULI METHOD of ragi cultivation.

Land Preparation & Manure

  • Plough the land twice till it reaches fine tilth
  • Pass the harrow twice to level the land and remove the weeds
  • If the land still is having clods pass the KORADU (wooden plank) twice. This step helps in seed bed preparation
  • 15 days before transplanting incorporate manure to the soil at the rate of 15 –20 cart load (7-8 tonnes) per acre. And before transplantation, apply handful of manure or vermicompost into the pits. This step will increase the growth and the yield

Transplantation
The steps for transplantation of ragi saplings

  • Plough land twice in both east to west and north to south directions to form the pits
  • The distance between two rows must be 1½ feet
  • At the intersection, pits are formed. Apply handful of manure into the pits
  • In each pit, transplant two saplings of 20-25 days old
  • Care must be taken not to plant more than 30 days old saplings

Inter-cultivation - Yade Kunte & Koradu
The success of Guli method lies in inter cultivation methods

  • Pass YADE KUNTE (an intercultivation implement) after a week of transplantation in both east-west & north-south directions. YADE KUNTE removes the weeds and ploughs it back into the soil.
  • Pass KORADU 3-4 times after 25 days of transplantation. This operation encourages the tillers growth and controls the pests at early stage.
  • KORADU operation bends the base of the young seedlings which further promotes the side shoots to develop profusely.
  • Passing Yade Kunte at 5-7 times and 3-4 times KORADU is compulsory.
  • Yade Kunte removes the weed and pushes the soil towards roots (earthing up)

The KORADU is an important agriculture implement. And it is used for breaking clods and leveling the land. At seedling stage, it is passed to increase the number of tillers and to control the pests. Its is a wooden log measuring 5½ ft. long and 1ft. diameter. It is hallow at the bottom. It is used predominantly in HAVERI DISTRICT. Baganae tree is used for making KORADU.

Mixed cropping

  • Sow the seeds like horse gram, cowpea and sorghum, as mixed crops after 15 days of transplantation of ragi saplings
  • If seeds for inter crop are sown simultaneously at the time of transplantation, Inter crops ratio should be 6:1. In this case, YADE KUNTE & KORADU must be ploughed in only one direction.
  • During October and November, horse gram can be sown as inter crop

Varieties
The local varieties are the most suited for this method. In Haveri region, the farmers use a local variety called UNDE ragi. The farmers in Shikaripura grow local varieties like YEDAGU ragi, and BULDE ragi. The hybrid and improved varieties are not suited for this method.

The salient features of UNDE ragi are:

  • The plant height ranges from 3 to 3.5 feet
  • The maximum number of tillers will be up to 25-30
  • It matures in 20 to 130 days
  • The shape of earheads is fisty

Yield
According to experienced farmers, the grain yield will be anywhere between 18 to 20 quintals and fodder yield will be 8 to 10 cart loads per acre. The maximum yield recorded was 25 quintals per acre during good agriculture season.

Special Features of GULI Method

  • The distance between row to row and plant to plant must be 1.5 ft.
  • The competition between two plants for sunlight, moisture and nutrients is minimum.
  • This distance between plants facilitates them to receive sunlight uniformly and enhances the photosynthesis activity.
  • Ploughing by KORADU helps to increase the number of tillers per plant. As a result the yield performance will be high.
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