AREA: Crops

UNIT: Foxtail millet

JOB: Introduction to Foxtail millet and its production.

SITUATION:

OBJECTIVES:

1. To develop the students understanding of Foxtail millet and how it is produced and harvested.
2. To develop the students understanding of the Foxtail millet varieties.

MOTIVATION

1. Discuss what Foxtail millet is and the basics of how it is produced.
2. Discuss what types of Foxtail millets are raised in the high plains area.
3. Discuss what Foxtail millet is used for.

STUDY GUIDES:

1. What is Foxtail millet?
2. What are the climatic requirements needed for Foxtail millet production?
3. What are the compositions for Foxtail millet used as a grain crop?
4. What are the recommended cultural practices when producing Foxtail millet?
5. What is the recommended seeding rate for Foxtail millet?
6. What are the two most important limiting nutrients to be aware of during the production of Foxtail Millet?
7. What are common diseases and pests to be aware of when producing Foxtail millet?
8. How is Foxtail millet harvested?
9. What are some Foxtail millet varieties that are produced in the area?

REFERENCE: Crop Series Production no. 0.118, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, R.L. Croissant & J.F. Shanahan

ANALYSIS:

1. What is Foxtail millet?-A annual warm season grass that grows to approximately 40 inches in height. This variety of millet is highly self-pollinated, but may show some outcrosses when different varieties are planted side by side. It is primarily grown for hay and sometimes bird feed.
2. What are the climatic requirements needed for Foxtail millet production?-Foxtail millet requires 55 to 70 days for seed production. It requires relatively warm weather for germination and plant growth. Optimum soil temperatures for seed germination are between 68 and 86 degrees F.
3. What are the compositions for Foxtail millet used as a hay crop?-Protein is 8.3% with fiber at 25.8%
4. What are the recommended cultural practices when producing Foxtail millet?-Foxtail millet grows well under dryland conditions. When planted on loamy soils, foxtail millet is usually rotated with fallow or wheat. On sandy soils, many growers do not summer fallow for millet. Millet is a shallow-rooted crop and will extract most of its water requirements from the 0 to 3-foot soil depth. Common tillage tools that is used for foxtail millet production are as follws: one-way disk plows, disks, chisels or sweeps followed by a rod weed can be used, depending on the amount of stubble, weed growth and previous crop. A grain drill is nearly always used to seed foxtail millet. When surface moisture is low, it may be necessary to plant deeper to place the seed in moist soil. However, the seed should not be covered by more than 1 inch of soil.
5. What is the recommended seeding rate for Foxtail millet?-If millet is planted for seed production in row culture (30-inch row spacing), seeding rates of 2 to 4 pounds per acre for foxtail millet is common. Foxtail millet seeding s typically recommended at 6 pounds per acre.
6. What are the two most important limiting nutrients to be aware of during the production of Foxtail Millet?-Nitrogen is generally the most important nutrient limiting foxtail millet production. Millet grown on soils where millet and small grains have been grown in a continuous rotation will probably respond to additional nitrogen. Foxtail millet planted in fields after fallow may be less likely to respond to additional fertilier. Nitrogen recommendations are based on the nutrient-supplying ability of the soil as determined from a soil test. Phosphorous is the second most limiting nutrient for foxtail millet production. Base applications of phosphorus fertilizer on soil test recommendations. When practicing band application, place phosphorus below the seed.
7. What are common diseases and pests to be aware of when producing Foxtail millet?-Foxtail millet tends to harbor the wheat curl mite which can transmit wheat streak mosaic. Cutting foxtil for hay by early August and then undercutting the stubble should kill the crop and prevent it from acting as a host required for the mite.
8. How is Foxtail millet harvested?-For hay, harvest in the late boot to bloom stage, hay quality is highest with protein levels being around 12 to 14%. When bristles develop from delayed harvest, lump jaws and sore eyes can occur during feeding. If harvesting for seed production, foxtail millet should be left uncut until completely ripe, then swathed and combined. Some growers direct combine foxtail millet after a killing frost. When doing this, shattering may occur.
9. What are some Foxtail millet varieties that are produced in the area?