Growth and Development of Wild-Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum) Biotypes

Abstract

Growth and development of three wild-proso millet biotypes (Cambridge, LeSueur, and Morris) and one cultivated proso millet (‘Crown’) were compared under noncompetitive conditions in field studies. LeSueur and Cambridge were taller than Crown and Morris at maturity. All wild types had greater leaf area and dry weight at maturity than Crown. Crown headed earlier than the wild types, and among the wild types, Cambridge was slowest to mature. Seed production was 1.4 to 2 times greater for wild than cultivated proso millet, and averaged 48 000, 69 000, 83 000, and 94 000 seeds/plant for Crown, Cambridge, LeSueur, and Morris, respectively. Mean seed weight was 4.0 and 3.8 mg/seed for LeSueur and Morris, respectively, and 5.8 and 5.9 mg/seed for Crown and Cambridge, respectively. LeSueur and Morris seed shattered readily, but Cambridge seed shattered relatively little. Seed dormancy was greater in LeSueur and Morris than in Cambridge. Based on reproductive potential, shattering, and dormancy characteristics, LeSueur and Morris appeared to have more weedy characteristics than Cambridge.