‘Yeonheechal’: A Soft, Large, White, and Glutinous Proso Millet Variety (Panicum miliaceum L.)

Abstract

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a highly adaptive, short-duration crop that is grown in Korea for food, feed, and fodder. 'Yeonheechal' is a variety of proso millet that was developed in 2013. This variety is a cross between Hwanggeumgijang (K263691) and IT297382. In terms of its phenotype, 'Yeonheechal' is erect and possesses drooping panicles. Regarding its growth-related outcomes, 'Yeonheechal' was found to have a growth period of 90 days. The culm and panicle lengths of this variety were 144 and 33.6 cm, respectively. These structures were both shorter than those of 'Leebaekchal.' Additionally, the weight of 1,000 seeds was 5.3 and 4.5 g in terms of husked and dehusked grains, respectively. The husked and dehusked grains were white and yellow, respectively, consisting of a characteristically glutinous endosperm. The yield potential of 'Yeonheechal' was approximately 2.67-ton ha-1 in the regional yield trials conducted from 2017 to 2019. The hardness of this variety's grain was 1,749 gf, making it softer than that of 'Leebaekchal' (i.e., 2,158 gf) (Registration number: 9104).