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Pearl Millet Seeds
LATIN NAME
Pennisetum glaucum
SEASON
Annual
HEIGHT
36 - 60 inches
ENVIRONMENT
Full sun
WHEN TO PLANT
Late spring to mid summer
USDA ZONES
Primarily 8 - 11
MOISTURE REQUIREMENTS
Moderate
COLD TOLERANCE
Poor
HEAT TOLERANCE
Excellent
SHADE TOLERANCE
Poor
DAYS TO MATURITY
75 - 120 days
IDEAL FOR
Poultry feed, forage, wildlife, cover crop
About...
Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) - Other names for this grain are: Pearl millet, candle millet, dark millet, bajra, indian millet, horse millet, bulrush millet, cattail millet and a few others. Pearl millet is an annual, warm season grass having a profuse root system.MORE MILLET OPTIONS
Planting Directions
SOWING TEMPERATURE
65F +
SEEDING RATE
25 - 30 lbs / acre
AVERAGE GERMINATION TIME
5 - 10 days
PLANTING DEPTH
1/2 - 1 inch
SOWING METHOD
Broadcast or Drill
ESTABLISHMENT RATE
Fast
Pearl millet is considered as a staple food in Africa and India where it is used to make flour, bread, and porridge. The plant stems can be used for roof thatch and building construction. In countries other than Africa and India it is most widely grown as poultry feed. It is a very robust grass which tillers widely and grows in tufts. It is the preferred choice for forage when compared to similar warm season millets such as browntop, Japanese, and proso millet. Pearl millet production for grain is mainly used for poultry feed.
Pearl millet grass is commonly grown for forage, wildlife, or as a cover crop. It can reach heights of 3 to 5 feet tall under ideal conditions. This multi cut forage grass is preferred over other millets for hay, pasture and silage production because it is highly digestible, high in protein, and free of prussic acid. Pearl millet also makes excellent cover and feed for birds, deer, and other wildlife. Lastly, pearl millet is a great green manure crop for hot summer months. This crop requires warm growing conditions and should not be planted until soil temperatures reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
Seeding Rate: 25 - 30 lbs per acre