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Foxtail millet is one of the oldest cultivated crops, which was together with common millet important foodstuff of Slavic nations. Originally this crop comes from India, China and Japan. To Europe it came in Bronze Age. Foxtail millet was grown as a first crop on forest clearings.
In the present time foxtail millet is still grown in some Asian countries (mostly China, India, Indonesia, the Korean peninsula and Japan) for food and/or feed. Russia decreased total area sown with this crop. Foxtail millet is widespread in the USA through the Great Plains where it is used for high quality hay, pasture and green fodder. In some parts of southern Europe foxtail millet can be found mainly for feed purposes.
Foxtail millet is divided in two different subspecies: S. italica ssp. maxima and S. italica ssp. moharia. The first named subspecies is higher yielding therefore more suitable for grain production. Both subspecies are often used in hay and fodder production but S. italica ssp. moharia is more suitable for that purpose because of its higher tillering that creates more biomass and is more tolerant to drought. Grain foxtail millet is an annual grass growing to 1-2 m and a crop of lower intensity of tillering (1-3 shoots). The length of inflorescence, outreaching the inflorescence length of subspecies 'moharia' approximately two times, varies from 16 cm to 50 cm. The inflorescence is a wide panicle consisting of numerous shortened side branches, sometimes covered with bristles. Foxtail millet flowers from the top downward. Seeds are smaller than common millet seeds and (their husk) can be coloured in a wide range of colours form light yellow to brown, rusty and black also.
Foxtail millet grows very well under dry conditions and groats made out of it are tastier than common millet groats. It is a suitable foodstuff for individuals suffering from celiac disease. Panicles do not shatter as easy as common millet.
Nutrient composition is similar to common millet, approximately 11 % of protein, 4 % of oil, 6,7 % of crude fibre. Foxtail millet grain has higher content of essential amino acids and vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin).
Foxtail millet grains are used the same way as common millet. Husk has to be removed. Groats made from foxtail millet are valuable with well-balanced nutrients and often used in preparation of different types of porridges.
This plant can be grown for a highly valuable green fodder or hay, which is the most common purpose in the wide world in the present time. It is used as bird feed also.
Grains used to be an ingredient in beer (Russia) or distilled liquor 'Awamori' in Japan.
It is a warm weather crop. Foxtail millet is well resistant to drought, which predetermines this crop to be cultivated in areas with lack of water. This type of millet tolerates poor and dry soils.
See common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)
The recommended time of sowing is from the end of April to the beginning of May. The suitable well-tried row spacing is 30 cm and depth of sowing differs from 2 to 3 cm.
See common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)
See common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)
See common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)
See common millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)