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Finger Millet (Ragi)KharifFinger millet variety (hills)Updated 28 August 2026

VL Mandua 352 (VL 352)

A VPKAS Almora release bred for the Uttarakhand and central Himalayan hills — early, cold-tolerant and suited to the short hill season and rainfed terrace fields.

SeasonKharif
Maturity periodAbout 105–110 days in the hills
Expected yieldAround 18–25 q/ha on hill terrace fields, higher on better land
Suitable soilHill terrace soils, sandy loam to loam

Quick facts

Crop
Finger Millet (Ragi)
Type
Finger millet variety (hills)
Season
Kharif
Maturity period
About 105–110 days in the hills
Seed rate
About 8–10 kg/ha for line sowing on terrace fields; a little less for a transplanted crop
Expected yield
Around 18–25 q/ha on hill terrace fields, higher on better land
Suitable soil
Hill terrace soils, sandy loam to loam
Release
Released by ICAR-VPKAS Almora for the hills of Uttarakhand and the central Himalayan region

About this variety

VL Mandua 352 (also called VL 352) is a finger-millet variety from the ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora, bred specifically for the hill agriculture of Uttarakhand and the central Himalayan region, where finger millet (mandua) is a staple. It is early and adapted to the short, cool hill season and to rainfed terrace fields, with moderate blast resistance.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeFinger millet variety (hills)
    MaturityAbout 105–110 days in the hills
    Yield potentialAround 18–25 q/ha on hill terrace fields, higher on better land
    Disease resistanceModerate blast resistance; bred for hill conditions
    SoilHill terrace soils, sandy loam to loam
    SeasonKharif

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeSown with the onset of the monsoon in the hills, roughly mid-June to early July, so the crop matures before the cold and the end of the growing season
  • Seed rateAbout 8–10 kg/ha for line sowing on terrace fields; a little less for a transplanted crop
  • Spacing22–25 cm between rows on terrace fields, plants thinned within the row
  • Sowing methodLine sowing or broadcasting on hill terraces is common; transplanting is used where a nursery and labour are available
  • IrrigationAlmost entirely rainfed on hill terraces, relying on the monsoon
  • FertilizerFarmyard manure is the main input in hill farming; a modest 40:20:20 kg N:P2O5:K2O per hectare where fertiliser is used, most of it basal
  • HarvestingAbout 105–110 days in the hills; harvest before the autumn cold sets in, dry the ear-heads and thresh. Straw is important winter fodder in the hills

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Hill terrace soils — sandy loam to loam, often shallow and stony, on rainfed slopes
pH
5.0–7.0

Climate

Climate
Bred for the cool, short hill season; its earliness and cold tolerance let it finish before the growing season closes at altitude

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

About 105–110 days in the hills

Expected yield

Around 18–25 q/ha on hill terrace fields, higher on better land

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

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Use treated seed and a healthy nursery or seedbed; hill blast pressure rises in a wet, cloudy monsoon
  • Farmyard manure worked in before sowing is the single biggest yield lever on shallow hill soils

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Bred and adapted for the short, cool Himalayan hill season
  • Early maturity finishes the crop before autumn cold at altitude
  • Dual purpose — grain plus straw that is valued winter fodder in the hills

Things to consider

  • A hill variety — it is not the right choice for the plains or the southern plateau
  • Yields on shallow, rainfed terrace fields are modest; the ceiling is set by the land as much as the variety

Suitable regions

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

  • Uttarakhand
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Jammu and Kashmir

Frequently asked questions

What is VL Mandua 352 bred for?

For the hill agriculture of Uttarakhand and the central Himalayan region, where finger millet is called mandua and is a staple grain. It is early and cold-tolerant so it can finish in the short hill growing season on rainfed terrace fields.

Who released VL Mandua 352?

ICAR-Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan (VPKAS), Almora — the ICAR hill-agriculture research institute in Uttarakhand.

Sourced from: ICAR-VPKAS Almora, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research — finger millet varieties. editorial policy.