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Finger Millet (Ragi)KharifFinger millet varietyUpdated 28 August 2026

GPU 45

An early UAS Bengaluru variety for short-monsoon and late-sown situations, dodging end-of-season drought by maturing quickly.

SeasonKharif
Maturity periodAbout 100–105 days
Expected yieldAround 25–32 q/ha; escapes late-season drought by maturing early
Suitable soilRed loam and shallow lateritic soils

Quick facts

Crop
Finger Millet (Ragi)
Type
Finger millet variety
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
About 100–105 days
Seed rate
About 5 kg/ha for the nursery of a transplanted crop; 8–10 kg/ha for line sowing
Expected yield
Around 25–32 q/ha; escapes late-season drought by maturing early
Suitable soil
Red loam and shallow lateritic soils
Release
Released by UAS Bengaluru as an early finger-millet variety for short-monsoon and late-sown conditions

About this variety

GPU 45 is an early-maturing finger-millet variety from UAS Bengaluru, bred for situations where the monsoon is short or sowing is delayed. By finishing in around 100–105 days it escapes the end-of-season drought that catches longer varieties, at some cost in top yield. Blast resistance is moderate rather than high, so it still needs the standard blast precautions.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeFinger millet variety
    MaturityAbout 100–105 days
    Yield potentialAround 25–32 q/ha; escapes late-season drought by maturing early
    Disease resistanceModerate blast resistance
    SoilRed loam and shallow lateritic soils
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeSuited to late-July and August sowing when the main window has passed, as well as normal mid-June to July sowing
  • Seed rateAbout 5 kg/ha for the nursery of a transplanted crop; 8–10 kg/ha for line sowing
  • Spacing22.5–30 cm between rows, about 10 cm within the row
  • Sowing methodTransplanting or line sowing; line sowing suits the larger, quicker crop this variety is often used for
  • IrrigationRainfed; one protective irrigation at panicle initiation if the monsoon breaks early
  • FertilizerA slightly lighter dose than the medium varieties suits its shorter cycle — around 40:40:25 kg N:P2O5:K2O per hectare with farmyard manure, most nitrogen basal
  • HarvestingAbout 100–105 days to maturity — the earliness is the point; harvest promptly at brown, hard grain to lock in the drought escape

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Red loam and shallow lateritic soils where a short growing window is common
pH
5.0–8.0

Climate

Climate
Chosen precisely for a short or unreliable monsoon — it completes grain fill before a longer variety would still be flowering into the dry spell

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

About 100–105 days

Expected yield

Around 25–32 q/ha; escapes late-season drought by maturing early

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Because blast resistance is only moderate, treated seed and a fungicide at boot-to-ear stage in humid weather matter more than with GPU 28/67
  • Do not over-fertilise — the short cycle cannot use a heavy nitrogen dose

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Early maturity escapes end-of-season drought in a short or failing monsoon
  • Fits late sowing when the main window has passed
  • Quick turnaround suits a second crop or a tight rotation

Things to consider

  • Top yield is below the medium varieties in a normal, full-length season
  • Only moderate blast resistance — not the choice for a chronically blast-hit block

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

  • Karnataka
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Maharashtra

Frequently asked questions

When should I choose GPU 45 over GPU 28?

When the monsoon is short or unreliable, or when sowing has been delayed into late July or August. GPU 45 matures in about 100–105 days and escapes the end-of-season drought that would catch a medium variety like GPU 28, at some cost in peak yield.

How long does GPU 45 take to mature?

About 100–105 days from sowing — it is one of the earlier finger-millet varieties.

Sourced from: ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research — finger millet varieties, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. editorial policy.