Indication
A tropical climate forage recommended for medium to high fertility soils. It can be used in crop rotation (green manure and cover crop) and in animal feed, through direct grazing, silage, or hay. It is recommended for cattle breeding, rearing, and fattening, dairy production, and also for horses.
Pennisetum glaucum
Medium to high fertility
Grazing, haymaking, green manure, and cover crop
8 to 10 t/ha/year of dry matter (DM)
15%
1.50m to 2.50m
51 to 55%
High
Tolerant
Low
Annual
Use and Management
Pearl millet is an annual forage crop suited for tropical climates, recommended for medium to high fertility soils. It can be used in crop rotation (as green manure and cover crop) and for feeding beef cattle, dairy cattle, and horses through direct grazing, silage, or hay. It can be established in association with pastures that have later establishment, such as humidicola and dictyoneura. In such cases, seeding rates of 3 to 4 kg/ha of pearl millet seeds are common. For individual planting, the recommendation is 15 to 20 kg/ha of seeds. Forage production can reach 8 to 10 t/ha of dry matter, or 40 to 50 t/ha of green matter. Grazing should commence when the crop reaches around 50 cm in height, with removal at 20 cm.
Origin
The pearl millet plant, Pennisetum glaucum, emerged between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago south of the Sahara Desert, from where it was taken to India around 2000 B.C., giving rise to distinct genotypes from the original African ones. Currently, it is one of the most cultivated crops in countries of the Sahelian and Sudanian regions of Africa.
Morphological Characteristics
It is an annual summer grass, tufted, with erect growth, and it shows excellent tiller production and vigorous regrowth after cutting or grazing. The stem height can exceed 3 m, reaching 1.5 m between 50 and 55 days after emergence. It has leaves with parallel veins and an inflorescence in the form of a long and contracted panicle. The ideal thermal and water requirements for the pearl millet plant are average nighttime temperatures (15-28 °C) and a minimum of 30 mm of water for germination.
Agronomic Characteristics
Used in agriculture as green manure and soil cover. In livestock farming, it serves as forage for cattle and horses, mainly in Cerrado areas. It has good drought resistance.
