Sri Lakshmi (Srilaxmi)
A 2002 pure-line selection from ANGRAU, Hyderabad. IIMR lists 80 to 85 days and 20 to 23 q/ha for Andhra Pradesh, noted for high seed yield. The name is spelled several ways, including Srilaxmi and Sreelaxmi.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- 80 to 85 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 Sri Lakshmi.
- Expected yield
- 20 to 23 q/ha (IIMR)
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released 2002 · pure-line selection, ANGRAU Hyderabad (IIMR table)
About this variety
Sri Lakshmi is a foxtail millet released in 2002 by ANGRAU, Hyderabad, as a pure-line selection. IIMR's released-variety table gives 80 to 85 days and 20 to 23 q/ha for Andhra Pradesh, and notes high seed yield. IIMR's leaflet spells the name Sreelaxmi and lists it among the popular cultivars of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, while trial papers spell it Srilakshmi and Srilaxmi. In KVK Darsi's Prakasam trials it was the local check, behind SiA 3156. 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 Sri Lakshmi if you farm in Andhra Pradesh and want a short line, 80 to 85 days, that IIMR notes for high seed yield at 20 to 23 q/ha. It is a 2002 pure-line selection from ANGRAU, Hyderabad. In KVK Darsi's Prakasam farmer-field trials it was the local check, and SiA 3156 gave more than it. At Tirupati in 2014 it was one of four varieties in a nitrogen trial, where SiA 3085 gave the highest yield. So it is a sound older line, but the newer Nandyal lines have beaten it in those trials. There is no disease rating in IIMR's table.
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 Sri Lakshmi.
- 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; Sri Lakshmi is listed at 80 to 85 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
80 to 85 days (IIMR)
Expected yield
20 to 23 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
- Short, 80 to 85 days, with IIMR's note for high seed yield at 20 to 23 q/ha.
- Used as a comparison line in farmer-field and station trials, so you can find results for it.
Things to consider
- Newer Nandyal lines beat it in the Prakasam and Tirupati trials we found.
- The name appears as Sri Lakshmi, Srilakshmi, Srilaxmi and Sreelaxmi; check the seed tag carefully.
- 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
One variety, four spellings: read the seed tag
IIMR's release table says Sri Lakshmi. Its leaflet says Sreelaxmi. KVK Darsi's Prakasam paper says Srilakshmi, and the Tirupati nitrogen trial says Srilaxmi. They are written as the same variety, an ANGRAU Hyderabad pure line of 2002, and the seed tag may use any of the four.
What matters at the counter is the lot, not the spelling. Ask for the producer's name, the certification tag with the lot number, and the year of harvest, and check that the label names an ANGRAU line. Note also that IIMR's leaflet lists the variety under Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, not Andhra Pradesh where the table puts it. If you are outside Andhra Pradesh, ask your KVK whether it has a local trial.
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) | 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)this page | 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 Sri Lakshmi foxtail millet?
A foxtail millet released in 2002 by ANGRAU, Hyderabad, as a pure-line selection. IIMR lists 80 to 85 days and 20 to 23 q/ha for Andhra Pradesh, noted for high seed yield.
Is Sri Lakshmi, Srilakshmi and Sreelaxmi the same variety?
The sources we read use all these spellings for the ANGRAU Hyderabad line of 2002. We found no source that treats them as different varieties. Check the producer and lot number on the tag, not the spelling.
How did Sri Lakshmi do against SiA 3156 and SiA 3085?
In KVK Darsi's Prakasam farmer-field trials (2016-17 to 2018-19) SiA 3156 averaged 16.3 q/ha and led the local check Srilakshmi. At Tirupati in kharif 2014 four varieties were grown with 0, 25 and 50 kg nitrogen a hectare, and SiA 3085 gave the highest yield. So the newer lines did better in those two trials.
Can I grow Sri Lakshmi outside Andhra Pradesh?
IIMR's release table lists Andhra Pradesh, and its leaflet lists the variety under Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. No trial result from those states was in the sources we read, so try a small block first and ask your KVK.
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.