A few other grasses harvested for seed are sometimes referred to as millets. It is a long season millet, needing 120 growing days, whereas most other millets are only 60 day millets. Thus, some testing of available varieties is recommended to see which performs best for a given area. For maximum biomass: For most row-crop regions, forage-type pearl millet provides the most biomass compared to other millets. Forage use: Proso millet has had more value for grain harvest than as a forage, but it has occasionally been used as a forage. Forage use: Browntop millet was brought into the U.S. from India in the early 1900s to grow as a forage crop, a use that continues in the southeastern states. Farmers can also consider growing Japanese millet seed for cover crop (or wildlife) seed sales. Transportation cost is a major consideration, as delivery points for the grain may be several hundred miles away if conventional markets are pursued. Plant 1/4″-1/2″ depth. There are also “broom-corn” types and types used for making sorghum syrups from the sugars in the stems. Thus, all are edible and all are still used for human food in their regions of origin and other areas. The seed heads are also different, with browntop millet having more of an open panicle and Japanese millet having a narrower, elongated seed head. Pearl millet, from the African Sahel, a low rainfall area, tolerates dry conditions but also hot and humid conditions, and thus is popular in the southeastern U.S. and southern Plains. Japanese Millet At A Glance summer annuals. Africa is still a major producer of sorghum, but the crop is also popular in many other regions of the world, including the U.S. Sorghum is used much more worldwide than the other millets, so perhaps the “great millet” term is deserved. Pearl millet, for example, is grown on over 70 million acres worldwide, an area larger than all the wheat fields combined in the U.S. endstream endobj startxref Proso is a crop of the High Plains, particularly Colorado, western Nebraska, and South Dakota. However, it may have a role as in drought-tolerant mixes of summer annual cover crops, including where people want to provide some seed attractive to songbirds or gamebirds. Japanese millet can be easily cured for hay and will have forage quality similar to other millet or small grain hay. Foxtail millet is easily grown in many parts of the U.S., planted with a grain drill and harvested for grain with a regular combine or with forage harvesting equipment for livestock feed. Asia and However, doing some small acreage test production for a year or two and then lining up markets before planting any significant acreage is strongly recommended. In this publication, both the grain and cover crop uses of these millets will be discussed, and where relevant, their use for forage or other economic uses. Sorghum (the “great millet”) originated in the same part of Africa as pearl millet and finger millet. Sorghum needs plenty of summer heat and plenty of time for fall dry down to reach harvest readiness. Proper time for harvesting millets for hay varies by species. As described above, with most seed being for either human food or whole seed birdfood, delivering good quality seed is important for producers. The author was part of an effort to send pearl millet seed to various birdseed packagers for evaluation in the early 2000s. Other birds will eat foxtail millet, so it could be used in birdseed mixes sold for songbirds, but this has been rarely done due to limited availability of foxtail millet seed in the market. Millets are sometimes considered cereal grains, but differ from the more well known cereals in a couple of ways. Particularly for people wanting to provide a beneficial plant for songbirds or game birds, foxtail millet has merit in a mix because of its relatively fast seed production and appeal of the seed for birds. Internationally, its use as a grain crop in Africa continues and it has gained acceptance in other hot, dry areas of the globe. It can be plant through early July, and is useable in about 50 days. My daughter and I planted this particular plot Friday July 23, 2010. They felt that birdseed mixes with pearl millet would not particularly catch consumers’ interest; the birds are presumably unconcerned about seed colors, but songbirds don’t get to buy the birdseed! However, there are some differences, including that browntop is less adapted to wet soil conditions than Japanese millet. • During the growing phase the plant flowers and begins to develop four or five tillers along its main ... grown: pearl millet, brown top millet, foxtail millet, and Japanese millet. If you ever order seed of one of these millets, be sure to order exactly what you want – if you go in asking for millet and expecting pearl millet, you may get something completely different like proso millet. Markets for foxtail millet grain are limited in the U.S. 169 0 obj <> endobj Then, as the seed head matures, the seed head fingers tend to curl inwards, like a hand starting to close. Basically, anywhere where soil moisture is limited by rainfall or soil type is where sorghum is usually found, provided it’s hot enough. It is the most vigorous of the millets in terms of plant height and biomass, making it competitive with weeds and able to produce a significant amount of biomass. However, they’ve been grown successfully by the author in Missouri, and may have potential in mixed cover crop stands if affordable seed supplies can be developed in the future. It will tolerate wet and muddy soil conditions while growing and can even be slightly flooded while growing as long as the leaves remain above water. Though only a few varieties of foxtail millet are available in the U.S market, there are significant differences in the characteristics of those varieties, and yield differences can be expected depending on location and growing conditions. Back to Millets. However, in terms of current U.S. consumption, only proso millet has any significant use as a food grain. Although the scientific name and the most common U.S. name is provided above, most of these crops are known by multiple common names, which will be provided in the sections later in this publication on each crop. Growing Millets for Grain, Forage or Cover Crop Use. 1982). It should be particularly suited to areas at 2000 feet or more in elevation of the Western Plains. Another trial found that Japanese millet worked well in mixes with cowpeas. At very high nitrate levels (such as over 1.76 percent for any livestock or 1.54 percent for pregnant animals) the hay should not be used at all. endstream endobj 170 0 obj <. White fonio (Digitaria exilis), sometimes called hungry rice, is grown in West Africa and is occasionally lumped in with millets, despite its much smaller seed. For quick cover: Foxtail millet is perhaps the best choice for a fast-growing summer cover, but all the millets are relatively good in this regard. 1982). Help improve lives, communities and economies throughout the state. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Japanese millet - maturity 45 - 60 days after germination. Plant when soil temperature reaches 60 degrees farenheit. However, given its reasonably vigorous growth and tolerance of tough growing conditions, it may have merit for use in cover crop mixes. Very fine stems and leaves allows plant material to dry down effectively for dry hay production. Starting small and focusing on a good quality product is key to success in custom hay sales. The primary millets addressed in this publication are listed in Table 1. %%EOF Millet production is generally limited to fields with low soil fertility and poor rainfall conditions. However, if excess hay is produced beyond farm needs, it may be possible to find a market, particularly if other forages are in short supply. As in proso millet, the seeds are enclosed in the hull and also range in color from creamy white, red, yellow or dark purple. Sorghum is a drought-resistant crop that can tolerate a range of soil types from clay to light-textured sandy loams, but has its best competitive advantage compared to other grass crops on moisture-deficient soil or lower rainfall areas, similar to pearl millet. tall. Planting Rates. For all millets, hay harvest should be done prior to heading stage. Finger millet could be an important aid in battling malnutrition in additional regions of the world. In the Minnesota trial, biomass harvested was 3.5 dry tons per acre with one cutting and a total of 5.0 tons with multiple cuttings. When considering any millet for seed harvest, markets should be identified before planting, as it may be challenging to find a buyer. Table 1. Height, biomass, moisture requirements, and typical U.S. growing regions for various millet species. Just as teff has found some high-end markets for horse hay, it may be possible to custom market selected millet species for particular forage markets. It has been used in the U.S. both for forage and wildlife planting, particularly to attract and support ducks, but it also has potential for human food and cover crop use. • Pearl millet can grow up to 4.6 meters tall ... the growing stage. To get maximum yield, hybrids have been developed, meaning that new hybrid seed needs to be purchased every year from the seed dealer rather than saving seed for planting. The forage type would normally be sold as a cover crop due to wider availability and greater biomass. Harvest at 40-50 inches or when crop is in the boot stage. It is grown as a late-season green feed in temperate climates. © 1993 to document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved, DMCA and other copyright information. MillbornSeeds 65,369 views. Maturity varies with foxtail, proso, Japanese and browntop millet being the fastest maturing types (60-90 days depending on planting date and variety and weather), and with pearl and finger millet being more intermediate in maturity (roughly 100 to 110 for seed harvest). Teff is fast-growing but also short in stature and quick to maturity, so as a cover crop its main potential would be as a quick summer cover for a couple of months. Cover crop use: Best uses for Japanese millet as a cover crop are where soils tend to be wet or where feed for waterfowl or other birds is desired. 4) ... Japanese millet makes its best growth on good soils. Japanese millet is a quantitative short day plant with a threshold of 13 hours Millet is a collective term commonly referred to a number of small seeded annual grass grain crops. The inflorescence is a brown to purple panicle made up of 5 to 15 sessile erect branches. The most commonly used name of “foxtail” millet is probably not too appealing to some farmers because of the name similarity to common summer weeds of field crops such as green foxtail and yellow foxtail. When to cut Millet for hay - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: Hi I have a 5ha paddock of Shirohie Millet that is from 250mm to 500mm high and was wondering when the best time to cut it for hay is, I will be round baling it. Japanese Millet from Vegetable Farmers and their Innovative Cover Cropping Techniques eOrganic. First, knowing where they originated gives some idea to where their best fit for various growing conditions. One study showed morning doves eating browntop millet as a significant fraction of their diet. Often a few cool season cover crops are also added to the mix, such as radishes, clovers, oats, or winter cereals. Japenese Millet is noted for having the most rapid growth of all millets. Because of the stem thickness, Japanese Millet is still challenging to hay, but with proper management it can be accomplished. Figure 1. Others millet species are sold less frequently as covers but still show up as options for custom cover crop mixes, particularly where farmers and other land managers seek to attract wildlife or achieve a high level of biodiversity in their cover crop cocktails. • Millet used for grain is harvested after the heads have matured. Chiwapa millet is known for attracting ducks. Rather than trying to address here the large amount of information available on sorghum, the reader is referred to a number of excellent sorghum production guides available on the Internet from various university extension programs or the United Sorghum Checkoff program. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. As a group, the millets in the U.S. have been underutilized. Primary existing uses for harvested foxtail millet seed to people wanting the seed to plant as a forage crop. While Japanese millet can be used in either upland or flood prone sites, if used in the latter situation, it’s best to plant it before flooding occurs. This allows Chiwapa to be planted earlier in the growing season when rainfall is plentiful and still be standing when the first frost arrives. Grain use: The main use of proso millet is for seed or grain harvest. It has also had far more research and development than all the other millets combined, particularly in the U.S. where it can be considered a “mid-major” crop, to use a sports analogy. Buy Online here @ Seedland.com. There is a very small amount grown for grain, but nearly all is grown as a hay crop, particularly for horses given its palatable nature and high quality as a hay. It has fit in well as a fast-growing summer cover that can create a nice mulch layer when mowed down or roller-crimped after seed heads have started to form. (Photo credit: R. Myers). Some general tips on using millets for cover crop use are as follows: For optimum biodiversity: Combine one or more millets with legumes and other grasses and broadleaves. They were both 24 to 30 inches tall. Foxtail millet hay should not be fed as a major portion of horse hay because it contains a glucoside that can affect horse organ and bone health; it can also act as a laxative to horses. Few herbicides or pesticides are labeled for millet use, and even those that are labeled are usually restricted to proso and/or pearl millet. Two exceptions to this seasonal growth pattern are the cereal grains corn and rice, which like millets are warm season plants. Cover crop use: Vegetable growers have used browntop millet occasionally as a cover crop in the southeastern U.S. One reported use is between tomato or pepper crops to help control root knot nematodes. Since millet hay is unfamiliar to many buyers, getting the hay tested and having information on feed value and forage quality will be essential to getting full value from selling millet hay. 0 However, they also have limitations, particularly because there is little industry support in the U.S. for millets. Some basic information on growing each millet are also provided, including in tables on seeding practices. Seeding rates for foxtail and other millets are listed in Table 3. Fortunately, foxtail millet does not have any weedy characteristics since it is a fully domesticated crop developed for human food use. Low tannin sorghum varieties are preferred when used in wildlife food plots and may be desirable for some cover crops use. Foxtail millet will work well with other mid-height summer covers such as buckwheat and cowpeas. This millet can handle standing water if the young plant doesn't become completely submerged. As with any of the other millets, just adding biodiversity to a cover crop cocktail mix can pay benefits for supporting a wider range of below ground soil organisms. Best if seeding in wet area with little to no cultivation. Figure 1. The cool season winter cereal grains originated in the Middle East and were commonly used in Europe for thousands of years before spreading to other parts of the worlds. No awn on seed - generally preferred over Jap millet which has a … It has been shown to increase the bearing capacity in waste clay settling ponds produced by mining activities (Pittman and Sweeney, 1983). Grown annually on 5 to 10 million acres in the U.S., it’s found all along the southern and western edge of the Corn Belt. As a result, all the millets exist in the form of multiple varieties in their home regions, though relatively few of those varieties have been tested in the U.S., and an even smaller number are available in the U.S. seed industry. If used in a mix of cover crops, seeding rates should be proportional to the amount of millet seed in the mix. Japanese Millet has long been a favorite of waterfowl hunters due to its ability to grow in wet saturated soils. Sorghum is not currently used as far north as corn. Growing Millet in the United States. Despite good agronomic characteristics, including drought tolerance and the semi-dwarf stature well-suited to combine harvesting, pearl millet grain-type varieties have not gained much use. Various millets grown by the author in Missouri: foxtail millet on the left, proso millet in the center, and pearl millet on the right. For hot, humid regions: Pearl, browntop, and Japanese millet are the best fits here. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Best at naturally reseeding Browntop - maturity in 60 days. They were planted on June 18 side by side (mainly for our own comparison). Chickens can handle it whole. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Songbirds may also feed directly on the seed heads by landing on the stems. It can be used as fresh cut forage, hay, silage or pasture. It resembles, and may have originated from barnyardgrass. Japanese millet’s fast growth and fibrous root system makes it a good plant for controlling erosion (Marr et al., 1998). In the process, foxtail millet became known by several other common names such as German millet, Hungarian millet, Italian millet, Siberian millet, etc. This crop gets its name from the way the seed heads look like fingers pointing upwards. The foxtail millet can be grown during the summer to suppress weeds and provide some soil protection/improvement until fall vegetables are ready to be planted. Japanese Millet, also called barnyard millet or billion dollar grass (fig. For groundfeeding birds like pheasant, turkey, quail, and doves, it may be helpful to mow down the mature Japanese millet plants to better scatter the seed on the ground. Stand Alone. Having both a flood-tolerant plant like Japanese millet and a drought-tolerant plant like foxtail millet can increase the odds of the cover crop mix doing well in a variety of rainfall conditions. It also has good suitability for cover crop use in selected situations, particularly where a fast-growing summer cover is needed. In a mix it plays the same role as sorghum-sudangrass, providing a vigorous warm season plant that produces more biomass than most of the other species in the cover crop “cocktail.” As a cover crop, the longer growth period of pearl millet is sometimes a benefit in situations where it is preferred to have longer vegetative growth, such as for grazing, and to avoid seed production on the cover crop plant before fall frost. Japanese Millet is a summer annual grass, and produces a relatively coarse (stemmy) forage. Although its biomass production potential is limited, the drought tolerance and relatively fast growth of proso make it an option for hay production in northern moisture limited areas of the High Plains. Entire seed heads can be hand cut and bundled together, such as a half-dozen each, and marketed as novelty bird feeders than can be hung on a fence or shed. (In the midwest this would generally be the end of May or in June.) Japanese millet duck food plots should be planted before the rainy season allowing the plant to sprout and begin growing before the standing water comes in. Wildlife use: Because browntop millet produces a large number of small edible seeds (as with other millets), it has been used some for attracting and supporting wildlife. It is not subject to major fungal diseases; it is susceptible to several species of head smuts. If managing for a single cutting, cut in the late boot stage through early seedhead emergence for high yield without sacrificing quality. With extremely rapid growth, browntop millet can fill narrow growing windows to produce a nice quality forage. Pearl millet is leafy, with an upright growth habit, and grows 4 to 8 feet tall. Stand Alone. It tolerates heat and humidity well and can tolerate periodically wet soils or shallow flooding (provided part of the plant remains above water). Interest in ancient grains and gluten-free grains has been growing, and millets are not only gluten-free but typically marketed as ancient grains (the reader is advised that “ancient grains” is a vague and inconsistently applied marketing term and not a precise scientific term). %PDF-1.5 %���� Although soybeans made their way from China to the U.S. and became one of our two most widely grown crops, foxtail millet is another Chinese crop that has received considerably less attention in the U.S. After Chinese crops started spreading around the world, foxtail millet was found a home in some European countries because it could mature quickly in the short European summers. Pearl millet is leafy, with an upright growth habit, and grows 4 to 8 feet tall. Millet has been a staple grain in Africa for centuries, and is easily digested because it is high in alkaline minerals and counteracts acids. Vegetative growth stops at flowering. It does not have hard seed that persist in the soil for years, unlike the weedy foxtails. Vegetative growth rate in Japanese millet is strongly influenced by temperature, with plants growing faster at warmer temperatures (Muldoon et al. Planting Rates. This confusing mix of common names has perhaps held back some awareness and acceptance of foxtail millet in the U.S. For example, a seed dealer may offer both German millet and Italian millet in a way that implies they are different crops but in fact they are the same species. Japanese Millet, also called barnyard millet or billion dollar grass (fig. Price. 4) ... Japanese millet makes its best growth on good soils. Like the seed of most grass crops, it can be made into a porridge or ground into a flour for making flatbreads. Generally the seed heads will persist longer than most of the other millets. In the semi-arid High Plains, proso becomes a more viable option for quick cover. (In the midwest this would generally be the end of May or in June.) A moderate number of forage varieties are available. In fact, the only things that might out-produce forage-type pearl millet for mid-summer biomass are sorghum-sudangrass or some of the forage/biomass sorghum varieties (silage-type corn also produces a lot of biomass where rainfall is adequate, but in the case of cover cropping, corn is not normally used since it’s already part of most crop rotations). Sorghum-sudangrass has the advantage of typically higher biomass, but the pearl millet is considered a safer forage to feed beef cattle, with no danger of prussic-acid poisoning to livestock, unlike sorghum-sudangrass. Most of the millets in the U.S. have been used more as forage plants for livestock than as grain crops. I would say the number one thing to remembr about planting your ponds or plots is … Drilled Seeding Rate: 20-25 lbs/acre ... China, Japan, Manchuria, and Russia. Among the minor African “millets,” teff has gained interest in the U.S. in the last two decades. Despite its use in a variety of human food products, its biggest market is for birdseed, almost always mixed with other birdseeds including sunflower and sorghum. However, due to reasonably vigorous growth, Japanese millet can also be used as a single species cover in upland sites to smother weeds; one study found a dense stand of Japanese millet was effective in reducing yellow nutsedge weed population. Millet seeding rates and primary U.S. markets. However, it’s certain that using any millet as a summer cover is better than using no cover crop where fields would otherwise be bare in mid or late summer. 1:36. Forage use: As a forage, pearl millet continues to have a fair degree of popularity. It has small, rounded seeds that are similar to but a little larger than the other millets. The current markets for seed of specific millets were described above, but as with any crop, additional markets could be developed by people with entrepreneurial skills. Foxtail and Proso Millet -- These millets rarely provide Sorghum has been hybridized with sudangrass to create sorghum-sudan, a vigorous summer grass used as both a forage and for cover crop cocktail mixes. Likely cover crop seed sales will be an additional opportunity going forward. Certainly they have a potential role as part of an effort to diversify cropping systems, whether as a grain, forage, cover crop or for other conservation use. As an important food crop in parts of east Africa and India, finger millet is grown on an estimated 5 to 10 million acres worldwide. One of the novel uses is for malted products, including malted infant foods popular in India for their nutritional qualities. Other names it is occasionally called include bulrush millet or cattail millet (due to the somewhat similar appearance of the grain heads to cattails). It is lower yielding in forage biomass than other summer forages such as pearl millet or sorghum sudan, but is a fast growing hay crop for situations where quick production is needed. tall. Fast growth and a fibrous root system Drought tolerant Good summer production High quality summer forage. Most of the millets need warm soil temperatures of typically 70 degrees F. or more for seed germination, so are normally planted in the latter half of May or early June depending on the growing region; proso millet can tolerate cooler temperatures and can be seeded when soil temperature is 55 to 65 degrees F. 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( or wildlife ) seed sales or even human food products are possible summer production high quality summer.... Also have limitations, particularly Colorado, western Nebraska, and typical U.S. growing regions high levels of millets! Seed and Japanese millet seed to various birdseed packagers for evaluation in highlands... Good soils could be an additional opportunity going forward near the end may!, whereas most other millets up of 5 to 15 sessile erect branches their regions origin... Development, quality is lowered but yields are generally considered the two species of millets to! Cut of my pearl and Japanese millet seed is commonly used for yogurt and as with other mid-height covers... Proso becomes a more viable option for quick cover are also “ broom-corn ” types and types used for flatbreads... Grains, but with proper management it can be grown throughout the state well-drained! Crop ( or wildlife ) seed sales many years without insect damage or human... 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S used after early season vegetables are harvested in June. and harvesting.. Our own comparison ), the millets in the stems minor African “ millets, it the... And typical U.S. growing regions millet ” ) originated in the same genus but different.... For years, unlike the weedy foxtails plant material to dry down effectively for dry hay production for dry. Two species of foxtail millet in growth habit and use grain crops the U.S and. Best fits here a reportedly high acceptance as a cover crop ( or wildlife ) seed sales source only... Not only for ducks and other areas find ways to sell most of the essential amino acid,! Been bred to have first been domesticated in the U.S the significant effort involved with weeding crop... India, finger millet is grown pricipally as a grain reported benefit is ability...