MILLET, a name applied to a number of very different species of cereals and grasses belonging to distinct genera and even sub families of the Gramineae (grasses). They are grown in Europe and the United States as forage and in Asia and Africa as food crops. The four genera, Chaetochloa (Setaria) , Echinochloa, Panicum, and Pennisetum, belonging to the tribe Paniceae, in clude most of the millets, though Eleusine coracana (ragi or finger millet grown in India) falls in the tribe Chlorideae. A key, following Frear and Robbins, is given below to the principal millets of economic importance and to some of the closely related weed grasses.
Inflorescence paniculate ; no involucre below the individual spikelets. Inflorescence a raceme of short spikes ; empty glumes awned or awn-pointed, Echinochloa (Barnyard millets and wild barn yard grass).
Awns long ; spikelets white, E. crusgalli (common barnyard grass).
Awns short ; spikelets brown, E. frumentacea (Japanese barn yard millet).
Inflorescence a drooping panicle ; empty glumes not awned, Pani cum miliaceum (proso or broom-corn millet).
Inflorescence spicate ; involucre of bristles below each spikelet. Grain enclosed in lemma and palet (the hull) at maturity ; spike loose, Chaetochloa (foxtail millet and foxtail grass).
Panicle usually I centimetre thick or less ; bristles commonly green ; spikelets about 2 millimetres long, C. viridis (green foxtail).
Panicle usually 1 to 3 centimetres thick ; bristles usually purple; Common millet (also called Indian millet, proso, hog-millet, broom-corn millet) is Panicum miliaceum. Its origin is unknown, but it is probably a native of Egypt and Arabia. It has been cultivated in Egypt, Asia and southern Europe since prehistoric times. It is a small erect annual, reaching a height of 3-31 ft. and possesses bristly, much branched nodding panicles. Cross-pollina tion regularly occurs. The grain is about 3 mm. long by 2 mm. broad, the kernel being firmly surrounded by the shining, hard, flowering glume and palea. (See
GRASSES.) Three varieties are often recognised : Vars. effusum, contractum and compactum. The plant ripens as far north as south ern Germany; in fact, wherever the vine can be grown for wine production. The grain, which is very nutritious, is used in the form of groats and makes excel lent bread when mixed with wheat flour. It is also largely used for feeding poultry.
Chaetochloa italica or Setaria italica includes many varieties known as foxtail millets, Turkis tan millet, German millet, Hun garian millet or grass, etc., is a native of Asia and is extensively grown in India. The grains are smaller than those of the common millet but it is exceedingly pro lific, the total yield being many times that of wheat. The grains are used locally for human food and imported into Great Britain for poultry feeding.
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum or P. typhoideum) is exten sively cultivated in tropical Asia, Egypt and India. Its origin is unknown but it has come probably from tropical Africa.
Echinochloa (Panicum) crusgalli is the barnyard grass or millet of the United States and E. frumentacea (Panicum fru mentaceum) may be a variety of E. crusgalli; it is the Japanese barnyard millet or Deccan grass. E. maximum is the Guinea grass, a native of tropical Africa; it grows 8 ft. high and yields a nutritious grain. Other gigantic species form the field crops on the banks of the Amazon.
E. (P.) decompositum is the Australian millet the grains of which are used by the natives. Paspalum scrobiculatum is the Kodo millet cultivated in India, while Milium effusum is the millet grass. (See also DURRA and SORGHUM.) For further details see C. R. Ball, "Pearl Millet," U.S. Dept. Agric.
Farmer? Bull. 1681. (1903); G. Watt, Dictionary of the Economic Products of India (London, 1908) ; M. A. Carleton, The Small Grains (New York and London, 1916) ; W. Robbins, Botany of Crop Plants (Philadelphia, 1924). (V. H. B.)