Effect of plant density on growth and grain yield of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) under high potential conditions of Southwest Kenya

2 Abstract: A study was carried out to investigate the use of plant densities in increasing grain yield of finger millet. The objective was to determine appropriate plant density that gives optimum grain yield of finger millet. The study was conducted under high potential conditions of Kisii highlands, southwest Kenya. Three experiments were carried out on different spacings giving various plant densities of five cultivars of finger millet over a two year period. Results showed that tiller and panicle numbers per m² increased with use of closer spacing giving higher plant densities. Densities ranging from 111,111 hills ha (30 cm × 30 cm) to 1,000,000 hills 1