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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #227495
Title: Producing and Marketing Proso Millet in the Great Plains

Author
item LYON, DREW - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item BURGENER, PAUL - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item DEBOER, KAREN - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item HARVESON, ROBERT - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item HEIN, GARY - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item HERGERT, GARY - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item KRALL, JAMES - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item Nielsen, David
item Vigil, Merle

Submitted to: Extension Circular
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2008
Publication Date: 6/20/2008
Citation: Lyon, D.J., Burgener, P.A., Deboer, K., Harveson, R.M., Hein, G.L., Hergert, G.W., Krall, J.M., Nielsen, D.C., Vigil, M.F. 2008. Producing and Marketing Proso Millet in the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Extension Circular #EC137. Lincoln, NE.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Proso millet is a short-season summer crop that produces well in the semi-arid western Great Plains and is suitable for diversifying and intensifying dryland production systems. Proso allows transition back to winter wheat in cropping rotations. No-till methods work well with proso establishment. Proso is generally fertilized with 20-60 lb N/acre. Popular varieties are Huntsman, Horizon, Sunrise, and Sunup. Seeding rates are generally 8 to 20 lb/a. Proso seed yield increases at a rate of 300 lb/a per inch of water used after four inches of water use. Weed control can be accomplished through tillage prior to planting or with applications of glyphosate. Proso is tolerant to residual atrazine. Insects don’t seriously affect proso and there are few disease problems. Proso can be harvested by swathing to promote uniform drying or by direct cutting with a stripper-header. Proso produces enough plant material to be considered a forage crop. Proso is a low cost-of-production alternative for dryland producers in the Great Plains. The bulk of proso millet produced in the western Great Plains goes to the bird seed market, although some is exported to Asia and Africa for human consumption. Market prices for proso are volatile because of the small size of the potential market. Proso millet can be a profitable dryland crop in the western Great Plains if producers can achieve yields near 2000 lb/a.