Krishnadevaraya (SiA 2593)
A 1993 selection from the cross SiA 326 x SiA 242, developed at Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh. IIMR lists 85 to 90 days and 20 to 22 q/ha, noted for high seed yield, and names it as popular in Andhra Pradesh.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 85 to 90 days (IIMR)
- Seed rate
- IIMR crop-level rate: 8 to 10 kg a hectare for line sowing, 15 kg for broadcasting. No separate rate is published for Krishnadevaraya.
- Expected yield
- 20 to 22 q/ha (IIMR)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 1993 · selection from SiA 326 x SiA 242, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh (IIMR table)
About this variety
Krishnadevaraya (SiA 2593) is a foxtail millet selection from the cross SiA 326 x SiA 242, released in 1993 and developed at Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh. IIMR's released-variety table gives 85 to 90 days and an average yield of 20 to 22 q/ha, for Andhra Pradesh, and notes high seed yield. IIMR's leaflet lists it among the popular cultivars of Andhra Pradesh. The table gives no disease rating, and the farm practice below is IIMR's crop-level practice for foxtail millet, not numbers measured on this variety.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose Krishnadevaraya if you farm in Andhra Pradesh, can get its seed, and want a line IIMR notes for high seed yield: 85 to 90 days and 20 to 22 q/ha. It is a 1993 release, so it is older than the Nandyal lines of 2011 and 2012. SiA 3085 (2011) is listed at 80 to 85 days and 20 to 30 q/ha and is rated resistant to blast and downy mildew, and Suryanandi (SiA 3088) matures in 70 to 75 days. Krishnadevaraya has no disease rating in the table. So take it when local seed is available and trusted, and try a strip of SiA 3085 beside it before you decide.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeIIMR: July to August in Karnataka; July in Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh; August to September for a rabi crop in Tamil Nadu. Sow within 7 to 10 days of the monsoon onset to dodge shoot fly.
- Seed rateIIMR crop-level rate: 8 to 10 kg a hectare for line sowing, 15 kg for broadcasting. No separate rate is published for Krishnadevaraya.
- IrrigationMostly a rainfed crop. A kharif crop needs no or very little irrigation; give 1 to 2 irrigations if a dry spell runs long (IIMR). A summer crop needs 2 to 5.
- FertilizerIIMR crop-level dose: 40 kg nitrogen, 20 kg P2O5 and 20 kg K2O a hectare, with all the P2O5 and half the nitrogen at sowing and the rest of the nitrogen at 30 days. Compost or FYM at 5 to 10 t/ha about a month before sowing. Adjust by a soil test.
- HarvestingIIMR: foxtail millet is ready 80 to 90 days after sowing; Krishnadevaraya is listed at 85 to 90 days
Soil & climate
Soil
- Suitable soil
- Moderately fertile, well-drained soil; it grows on soils from sandy to heavy clay but not under waterlogging (IIMR)
Climate
- Climate
- Grows better where annual rainfall is 500 to 700 mm. It cannot stand waterlogging or extreme drought (IIMR).
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
85 to 90 days (IIMR)
Expected yield
20 to 22 q/ha (IIMR)
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
Major pests
- Shoot fly: sow early, raise the seed rate a little, pull out dead-heart seedlings, or treat the seed with Imidacloprid or Thiamethoxam (IIMR)
- Army worm, cut worm and leaf-scraping beetle: occasional, but can turn serious
Management notes
- Weeding: two inter-cultivations and one hand weeding in a line-sown crop; a tyne-harrow pass at 30 days also helps (IIMR).
- Seed: treat with Carbendazim at 2 g a kg before sowing, and sow 2 to 3 cm deep.
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Noted by IIMR for high seed yield, at 20 to 22 q/ha.
- Named by IIMR among the popular cultivars of Andhra Pradesh, so local seed and neighbours' experience exist.
Things to consider
- An older release (1993); the newer Nandyal lines of 2011 and 2012 are listed with higher top yields or shorter duration.
- No disease rating in IIMR's table.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Andhra Pradesh
A 1993 line against the newer Nandyal lines
IIMR's table lets you set Krishnadevaraya beside three later Nandyal releases. Krishnadevaraya (1993): 85 to 90 days, 20 to 22 q/ha. SiA 3085 (2011): 80 to 85 days, 20 to 30 q/ha, resistant to blast and downy mildew. SiA 3156 (2012): 85 to 90 days, 20 to 25 q/ha, highly responsive to nitrogen. Suryanandi, SiA 3088 (2012): 70 to 75 days, 20 to 25 q/ha, non-lodging and suited to double cropping.
On paper the newer lines match or beat it on yield, and SiA 3085 adds a disease rating and Suryanandi a shorter season. The tables come from different release years and trials, so do not read the gap as a promise. If your village already grows Krishnadevaraya and the seed is clean, a strip of SiA 3085 next to it for one kharif will show you more than the table can.
Can you save seed from this crop?
This is an open-pollinated variety, so seed from a healthy crop of your own can be sown again. Keep seed only from disease-free plants, dry it properly, store it cool and dry, and bring in fresh certified seed every three to four years so the variety does not drift.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Foxtail Millet (Kangni) variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Starts bearing | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co (Te) 7 | Tamil Nadu rainfed kharif and rabi; rust resistance, protein and fodder | 85 to 90 days (IIMR and TNAU) | 18 to 19 q/ha (IIMR); mean 1,855 kg/ha in TNAU trials, 2000 to 2004 | Tamil Nadu |
| HMT 100-1 | Karnataka plots where the sowing date is uncertain and you can spare a longer 90 to 95 day crop | 90 to 95 days (IIMR) | 20 to 25 q/ha (IIMR) | Karnataka |
| Krishnadevaraya (SiA 2593)this page | Andhra Pradesh rainfed plots where you want a long-tested line noted for seed yield | 85 to 90 days (IIMR) | 20 to 22 q/ha (IIMR) | Andhra Pradesh |
| Lepakshi | Rayalaseema dry land; an older drought-tolerant selection | 82 to 85 days (IIMR) | 18 to 20 q/ha (IIMR) | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Narasimharaya | Grain and straw plots in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka | About 80 to 90 days (IIMR crop-level figure; none published for this variety) | Second-highest grain yield of six varieties at Ananthapuramu; no kg figure published | Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh |
| PS 4 | Farmers in any of the seven states IIMR names who want one short, widely adapted line with a long track record | 80 to 85 days (IIMR) | 18 to 20 q/ha (IIMR) | Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh |
| SiA 3085 | Grain-first plots; blast and downy mildew resistance | 80 to 85 days (IIMR) | 20 to 30 q/ha (IIMR); highest grain yield of six varieties at Ananthapuramu | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh |
| SiA 3088 (Suryanandi) | A short season and double-cropping plans | 70 to 75 days (IIMR) | 20 to 25 q/ha (IIMR); behind SiA 3156 in Prakasam farmer fields | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu |
| SiA 3156 | Fertilised plots; one of the widest state lists | 85 to 90 days (IIMR) | 20 to 25 q/ha (IIMR); 16.3 q/ha in Prakasam farmer fields | Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand |
| SiA 326 | An older, long-tested check for rainfed plots | About 80 to 90 days (IIMR crop-level figure; none published for SiA 326) | 1,477 kg/ha as the national check in TNAU trials; no release-table figure | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand |
| Sri Lakshmi (Srilaxmi) | Andhra Pradesh farmers who already grow it, or want a short, seed-yield line that the trials often use as a comparison | 80 to 85 days (IIMR) | 20 to 23 q/ha (IIMR) | Andhra Pradesh |
| TNAU 186 | Dry-land plots in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka where a short crop and drought tolerance matter more than top yield | 80 to 85 days (IIMR) | 18 to 20 q/ha (IIMR) | Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Foxtail Millet (Kangni) is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Foxtail Millet (Kangni) plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Foxtail Millet (Kangni) variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Foxtail Millet (Kangni) into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Foxtail Millet (Kangni) in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Foxtail Millet (Kangni) rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Foxtail Millet (Kangni) seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
What is Krishnadevaraya?
A foxtail millet selection from SiA 326 x SiA 242, released in 1993 and developed at Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh. IIMR lists 85 to 90 days, 20 to 22 q/ha and high seed yield, and the code SiA 2593.
Is Krishnadevaraya the same as SiA 2593?
Yes. IIMR's table lists the variety as Krishnadevaraya (SiA 2593). It is a different line from SiA 326, which is one of its parents, and from SiA 3085 and SiA 3156.
Does Krishnadevaraya resist blast or downy mildew?
IIMR's table gives it no disease rating. SiA 3085 is the line the table rates resistant to blast and downy mildew. Treat the seed and watch for blast as you would for any foxtail millet.
Can I grow Krishnadevaraya outside Andhra Pradesh?
IIMR lists it for Andhra Pradesh only, and we found no trial from another state. Ask your KVK about a local trial before you plant a large area elsewhere.
Sourced from: Salient features of released varieties of foxtail millet crops (1989 to 2012) — ICAR-IIMR, Foxtail Millet brochure (state-wise popular cultivars, sowing, seed rate, fertiliser, pests and diseases) — ICAR-IIMR. editorial policy.