Little or Kutki Millet—Panicum sumatrense (Syn. P. miliare). Grown throughout
India but not very important elsewhere. Can survive on poor soils that are unsuitable
for any other cereal.
PEARL (BULRUSH) MILLET
Pennisetum typhoides (Syn. P. americanum, P. glaucum, P. spicatum)
Candle Millet, Spiked Millet, Cat-tail Millet, Dark Millet, Mands Forage Plant,
Penicillaria.
Mil Perle, Petit Mil, Mil à Chandelles (French); Perl Hirse, Beger Hirse (German);
Panizo Negro, Panizo de Daimiel, Mijo Perla, Mijo Candella (Spanish);
Painço (Portuguese—grain & plant); (M)Assango, O’huwe (Angola); Bajra, Bajri,
Cumbo, Sajje (India); Bultug (Tigray), Dehun, Zengada (Ethiopia), Sanio, Gero,
Babala, Nyoloti, Dukkin, Souna (Africa).
Pearl Millet is the most widely grown of all millets, and is the staple food in many of
the drier parts of Africa and India. It is more of a drought-avoiding crop than a
drought-resistant one, in that it can grow very quickly and so needs little moisture.
Although it cannot tolerate drought for long periods in the way that sorghum can, it
is a dependable crop which generally produces at least some yield every year in
areas where maize and even sorghum sometimes fail.
It is an erect annual grass, 0.5–5m tall, often producing many tillers especially
when thinly spaced (low plant population) in fertile soil. The panicle (seed head) is
15–50 cm long, about 2.5 cm in diameter, very compact and light brown in colour.
The seed is normally light brown, sometimes near white or even black. There are
about 180–190,000 seeds per kg.
Pearl millet is often “dry-planted” ie before the rains begin, both to take
advantage of the “flush” of Nitrogen that occurs with the first rains and also so as to
utilise the entire rainy season, which may be very short.
In the driest and most infertile soils in India and Africa pearl millet is very often
the most productive grain crop; if sorghum crops frequently fail, pearl millet can
often be a good substitute.
Some semi-dwarf hybrid seed is produced, but mainly for forage varieties. Pearl
millet is normally cross-pollinated.
PLANTING
Soil: sandy loams are best. Although it will grow in infertile soils that are too light
for sorghum it does respond well to fertiliser. Nitrogenous fertilisers such as
sulphate of ammonia are especially beneficial, applied at about 200 kg/ha, followed
by a top dressing of about 100 kg/ha 4–6 weeks after planting.
Seed rate: 3–9 kg/ha for grain/seed production, 10–22 kg/ha for hay or forage. Low
plant populations are acceptable in fertile soils as the plants compensate by
producing many tillers.