Eleusine coracana

Finger millet, African millet, Indian millet, rupuko, ragi

Stout annual up to 120 cm high grown as a cereal in tropical, Africa and Asia. Also used as a fodder catch crop. Called finger millet because the inflorescence resembles a human hand with the palm turned upward and the fingers, partially contracted. Matures in 4-5 months. Tolerates under 130 mm of rainfall if well distributed.

Once the grain ripens, the plant loses its high feed value. Straw from the irrigated crop is fibrous but improves after stacking, as fermentation makes it more palatable and less tough. Rainfed straw is of better quality and readily consumed by stock.