However, the rapidly growing interest in cover crops, including diverse mixes of covers, has brought new attention to several of the millets as potential covers. The yields of these grain hybrids has not been quite high enough to displace sorghum or especially corn. Soybeans do well following Japanese Millet. Foxtail millet will work well with other mid-height summer covers such as buckwheat and cowpeas. 1982). First cut of Pearl and Jap millet - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: I made the first cut of my Pearl and Japanese Millet yesterday. The Japanese millets (Echinochloa esculenta) are considered the best for grazing and in particular Shirohie, a new variety of Japanese millet, is the best suited variety for grazing. It can be plant through early July, and is useable in about 50 days. 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. Good for prepared sites (disked). Another trial found that Japanese millet worked well in mixes with cowpeas. It is an excellent seed producer and is often planted to provide feed for mourning doves and other game The millets as a group do not have an extensive history of use as U.S. cover crops, with the slight exception of foxtail millet. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Wildlife use: A significant market for Japanese millet in the U.S. is currently the wildlife market. None of the other millet species aside from pearl are sold as hybrids. Birdseed use: One of the novel uses of foxtail millet is harvesting of the whole heads as a birdseed “spray” sold for caged birds such as parakeets. It also has a reportedly high acceptance as a food because of good taste qualities compared to other millets. Harvest at 40-50 inches or when crop is in the boot stage. 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 inflorescence is a dense, bristly panicle resembling the panicles of weedy foxtails. Finger millet could be an important aid in battling malnutrition in additional regions of the world. 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. It is not subject to major fungal diseases; it is susceptible to several species of head smuts. 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. Transportation cost is a major consideration, as delivery points for the grain may be several hundred miles away if conventional markets are pursued. In many of the traditional areas of finger millet use, it has been gradually replaced by corn or sorghum. Pearl millet is leafy, with an upright growth habit, and grows 4 to 8 feet tall. Japanese millet can be easily cured for hay and will have forage quality similar to other millet or small grain hay. Both of these crops are fast growers that provide forage in the heat of summer. Of all the millets, pearl millet has been most extensively used in southern states like Missouri. Pearl millet is more commonly planted on 15 to 30 inch rows. This allows Chiwapa to be planted earlier in the growing season when rainfall is plentiful and still be standing when the first frost arrives. Back to Millets. Teff (Eragrostis tef) is another small-seeded African grain that is sometimes loosely grouped with the millets, mainly because it’s an African grass crop. Among the species listed, pearl millet, sunflower, and buckwheat would be the ones likely to provide seed by fall that songbirds and some game birds could eat. ), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), and to a lesser extent Japanese millet (Echinochloa frumentaceae) are mainly grown in the Midwest and Central Plains (Oelke et al., 1990). 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. It has been shown to increase the bearing capacity in waste clay settling ponds produced by mining activities (Pittman and Sweeney, 1983). 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. If managing for a single cutting, cut in the late boot stage through early seedhead emergence for high yield without sacrificing quality. Figure 1. On-farm use of millets for grazing, silage, or hay eliminates the question of finding a market. First cut of Pearl and Jap millet - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: I made the first cut of my Pearl and Japanese Millet yesterday. Price. More recently, some of the millets have been sold for wildlife plantings and for cover crop use, particular as part of cover crop mixes. I would say the number one thing to remembr about planting your ponds or plots is … seeding Japanese millet from mid-June to mid-July produced the most biomass. Japanese millet, from Southeast Asia, is tolerant of hot humid summers and wet conditions, and thus is popular for wildlife planting in creek bottoms or other wet conditions. It produces ripe grain 45 days after seeding. Pearl millet does have good qualities as a grain, including higher protein than corn. Sorghum needs plenty of summer heat and plenty of time for fall dry down to reach harvest readiness. Japanese Millet Seed - Japanese Millet Seed is commonly used for feeding ducks as this millet will grow in flooded soils or standing water. As a hay, it’s highly palatable, but the limitation is that generally only one or two cuttings may be obtained, unlike with perennial forages that may provide multiple cuttings (assuming adequate soil moisture from rain or irrigation). 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. If the first crop is cut at vegetative growth stage… The inflorescence is a brown to purple panicle made up of 5 to 15 sessile erect branches. Pearl millet can grow up to 4.6 meters tall and has a grain head that looks like a cattail. Thus, all are edible and all are still used for human food in their regions of origin and other areas. Figure 1. Songbirds may also feed directly on the seed heads by landing on the stems. Additional details on sorghum and teff are provided near the end of the publication. I have seen several posts asking how to plant Japanese Millet. Japanese Millet stems are coarser than Foxtail and Proso Millets but thinner than Pearl Millet. Millet is a collective term commonly referred to a number of small seeded annual grass grain crops. 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. The larger but less premium market is bulk seed for bird feeders. Foxtail millet has slender, erect leafy stems and may grow up to 50 in. Chiwapa millet is known for attracting ducks. Grain use: As a significant food source with a long history of use in parts of Africa and India and Nepal, finger millet has a variety of uses developed for its grain. Internationally, its use as a grain crop in Africa continues and it has gained acceptance in other hot, dry areas of the globe. 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. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the effect of growth stage and sowing date on water use strategies in four annual forage crops (forage maize, Sudan grass, foxtail millet and Japanese millet), and 2) quantify water use in different soil layers for each of the forage crops. Fortunately, foxtail millet does not have any weedy characteristics since it is a fully domesticated crop developed for human food use. The term millet actually covers a wide range of agriculture plants from around the world, all of them grasses. 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. However, there are some differences, including that browntop is less adapted to wet soil conditions than Japanese millet. Cover crop use: Pearl millet is not commonly used in a solid stand for cover crop use, but does get planted as part of mixes. For more details on pearl millet, search “University of Georgia pearl millet.”. In both 1983 and While it is considered a minor forage in terms of importance, it does provide the benefit of being a fast-growing summer option that can produce a hay crop without irrigation, unlike perennial irrigated alfalfa that often is used in some of the same areas where foxtail millet may be grown. 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. It tolerates heat and humidity well and can tolerate periodically wet soils or shallow flooding (provided part of the plant remains above water). Plant 1/4″-1/2″ depth. Given their ability to tolerate tough growing conditions, they deserve greater consideration. Help improve lives, communities and economies throughout the state. Primary existing uses for harvested foxtail millet seed to people wanting the seed to plant as a forage crop. In India, finger millet is also called ragi or sometimes African millet. While all millets are minor crops in the U.S. compared to major commodities like corn and soybeans, elsewhere in the world they are important crops. Knowing about the biology of each species and their preferred growing conditions can help make decisions about which millets to use for particular cover crop situations. 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. h�bbd```b``f�+@$�)�1D2j�H�� �����M�dX�̎�πu)�H.���0;D���2�IF3N�]5 Ҽ�^$����t��=�@=�� � 3$o It is reportedly eaten by many other game species, including deer, ducks, turkeys, quail, and pheasants. All millets were domesticated millennia ago for seed harvest, with the primary use of the seed being for human food. 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. They were planted on June 18 side by side (mainly for our own comparison). © 1993 to document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Curators of the University of Missouri, all rights reserved, DMCA and other copyright information. This millet can handle standing water if the young plant doesn't become completely submerged. Most of the pearl millet varieties sold in the U.S. are intended for forage use, having been bred for high biomass, good palatability for cattle, and tolerance of southern U.S. growing conditions. Best at naturally reseeding Browntop - maturity in 60 days. 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. All of the millets can and will be eaten by at least some bird species, but more research is needed on the attractiveness of the less common millets for feeding various types of birds in the U.S. For nutrient management and soil health: Unfortunately, we don’t yet know which of the millets contributes most to helping with nutrient management or other soil health factors, such as stimulating soil mycorrhizae. Japanese millet is a good fast-growing smother crop in higher moisture situations. Foxtail millet and proso millet are generally considered the two species of millets easiest to make into hay. Millet seeding rates and primary U.S. markets. Some studies indicate that Japanese millet is a preferred food source not only for ducks and other waterfowl but also turkey and doves. Farmers can also consider growing Japanese millet seed for cover crop (or wildlife) seed sales. Vegetative growth stops at flowering. (In the midwest this would generally be the end of May or in June.) Grain crop use: After a few grain-type pearl millet hybrids were released in the 1990s, there was hope that pearl millet could gain traction for U.S. grain harvest, with the primary end use expected to be for poultry feed. 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. 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). It is not subject to major fungal diseases; it is susceptible to several species of head smuts. My daughter and I planted this particular plot Friday July 23, 2010. It has much better tolerance to flooding than other summer annual forages and can grow in heavy, wet soils. Millet General Information Proso millet, Panicum miliaceum L., is a warm-season annual crop grown under dry conditions in the northeast for human and animal consumption. Like the seed of most grass crops, it can be made into a porridge or ground into a flour for making flatbreads. Japenese Millet is noted for having the most rapid growth of all millets. Japanese Millet (Enchinochloa frumentacea) - Japanese millet is an annual grass that grows 2 to 4 feet tall. ... (2013 Growing Season) - Duration: 1:36. Height, biomass, moisture requirements, and typical U.S. growing regions for various millet species. Unfortunately, because of its more minor status compared to crop such as corn (maize) and rice, finger millet has received very little research or development to advance it as a modern crop. 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. Cover crop potential: To date, proso millet has not seen significant use as a cover crop. With wider use of cocktail covers, both by vegetable and grain farmers, it’s likely that foxtail millets will be used some in those mixes. 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. This millet can handle standing water if the young plant doesn't become completely submerged. A few other grasses harvested for seed are sometimes referred to as millets. Sometimes called duck millet, it is fast growing and best planted in areas that flood or near water. Figure 1. One study showed morning doves eating browntop millet as a significant fraction of their diet. Is it like Oats that you would wait for the head and cut it at the milk stage or should it be cut before running into head? Their reaction was that the grayish-brown appearance of the seed didn’t excite them compared to other seed options, such as reddish sorghum seeds, white proso millet, yellow ground corn, and of course black sunflower. (Photo credit: R. Myers). Despite the edible nature of foxtail millet grain, it seldom finds its way into the U.S. food market. Like many alternative grain crops domesticated for making food elsewhere in the world, teff is being grown primarily as a forage in the U.S. This allows Chiwapa to be planted earlier in the growing season when rainfall is plentiful and still be standing when the first frost arrives. 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. In the semi-arid High Plains, proso becomes a more viable option for quick cover. There are also “broom-corn” types and types used for making sorghum syrups from the sugars in the stems. 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. For detailed information on proso millet, search for “University of Nebraska proso millet,” and their extension guides on proso production and varieties will be found. 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