Plant-Type Characteristics and Seed Yield of Proso Millet (Panicum Miliaceum L.) Response to Plant Density

Abstract

Yield of proso millet was usually low due to chaotic planting density in arid and semi-arid areas of China. To get high yield in proso millet, planting density and plant-type characteristics were explored. This study was carried out in the field to determine the effects of planting density (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90×10 4 plants ha -1 ) on plant-type characteristics and yield components. With an increment in planting density, panicle length, grain weight per panicle, grain density, total grain, plant height, panicle height, and stalk length increased. When planting density was increased 15×10 4 plants ha -1 at a time, rolling rate was increased by about 0.04, but leaf basic angle and dropping angle decreased by about 0.3° and 0.28°. Bender moment, anti-broken strength decreased with an increment in planting density, but anti-lodging index increased. Bender moment of three basic nodes decreased by about 1140, 1041, and 1024 cm g, and anti-broken strength of three basic nodes decreased by about 2240, 1664, and 907 g. The first node, the second node, and the third node increased lodging index by about 3.3, 3.5, and 4.8 cm g g -1 , respectively. Increase in planting density of proso millet could obtain the highest yield at 75×10 4 plants ha -1 , and plant-type characteristics of high-yielding population was good for yield development.

Evaluation of the Agronomic Traits of 80 Accessions of Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) under Mediterranean Pedoclimatic Conditions

“…The planting density was 55 plants m −2 , with a distance between rows of 60 cm and 3 cm between the plants in each row. The applied planting density was adopted based on recent studies [30] in order to optimize and standardize the experiment using an average density used in open field. Each experimental plot measured 2.4 m in length and 3 m in width (7.2 m 2 ), and was sown, as classically happen for spring crops in that area, at the beginning of May (4 May 2018 and 9 May 2019).…”

Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization and Plant Density on Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) Growth and Yield under Mediterranean Pedoclimatic Conditions

“…However the recently published proso genome sequence and chromosome assembly in 2019 projected this species into the modern genomics era, disclosing a great potential for large-scale genotyping applications and, hence, future molecular-assisted breeding programs [23]. A few studies indicated that P. miliaceum crop performance was particularly affected by two management practices, nitrogen fertilization (N) and plant density (D), adopted during the growing cycle [24,25]. Nitrogen seems to be the major element required to boost the potential yield; studies revealed that the optimum range may vary between 50 and 150 N kg ha −1 , according to pedoclimatic conditions [17,26].…”