Determining optimum planting dates for pearl millet for two contrasting environments using a modelling approach

SUMMARYPearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.] is an important cereal crop in Niger, West Africa and a potential crop for the United States of America (USA). Only a few studies have been conducted in either country to identify the optimum planting dates for high and stable yields, in part because planting date experiments are resource-intensive. Crop simulation models can be an alternative research tool for determining optimum planting dates and other management practices. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the performance of the Cropping System Simulation Model (CSM)–CERES-Millet model for two contrasting environments, including Mead, Nebraska, USA and Kollo, Niger, West Africa and to use the model for determining the optimum planting dates for these two environments. Field experiments were conducted in both environments to study the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield of three varieties in Kollo and three hybrids in Mead and their associated growth and development characteristics. The CSM–CERES-Millet model was able to accurately simulate growth, development and yield for millet grown in these two contrasting environments and under different management practices that included several genotypes and different nitrogen fertilizer application rates. For Kollo, the optimum planting date to obtain the maximum yield was between 13 and 23 May for variety Heini Kirei, while for the other varieties the planting dates were between 23 May and 2 June. For Mead, the planting date analysis showed that the highest simulated yield was obtained, on average, between 19 and 29 June for hybrid 59022A×89-083 and 1361M×6Rm. Further studies should focus on evaluation and application of the millet model for other agroclimatic regions where pearl millet is an important crop.

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Impact of Planting Date on Melanaphis sacchari (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Population Dynamics and Grain Sorghum Yield

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toz230 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 112 (6) ◽

pp. 2731-2736 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nicholas J Seiter ◽

Anne D Miskelley ◽

Gus M Lorenz ◽

Neelendra K Joshi ◽

Glenn E Studebaker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Field Experiments ◽

The United States ◽

Grain Sorghum ◽

Planting Date ◽

Melanaphis Sacchari ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Sugarcane Aphid ◽

Aphid Feeding ◽

The Impact

Abstract The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has become a major pest of grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, in the United States in recent years. Feeding by large densities of sugarcane aphids causes severe damage, which can lead to a total loss of yield in extreme cases. Our objective was to determine the effect of grain sorghum planting date on sugarcane aphid population dynamics and their potential to reduce yields. We conducted field experiments from 2015 to 2017 in which an aphid-susceptible grain sorghum hybrid was planted at four different dates, which encompassed the typical range of planting dates used in Arkansas production systems. Plots were either protected from sugarcane aphid feeding using foliar insecticide sprays, or left untreated to allow natural populations of sugarcane aphids to colonize and reproduce freely. Planting date impacted both the magnitude and severity of sugarcane aphid infestations, with the highest population densities (and subsequent reductions in sorghum yield) generally occurring on plots that were planted in May or June. Sugarcane aphid feeding reduced yields in the untreated plots in two of the four planting date categories we tested. Earlier planting generally resulted in less sugarcane aphid damage and improved yields compared with later planting dates. While the effect of planting date on sugarcane aphid populations is likely to vary by region, sorghum producers should consider grain sorghum planting date as a potential cultural tactic to reduce the impact of sugarcane aphid.

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Effect of Planting Date and Cultivar Maturity in Edamame Quality and Harvest Window

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2020.585856 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

David Moseley ◽

Marcos Paulo da Silva ◽

Leandro Mozzoni ◽

Moldir Orazaly ◽

Liliana Florez-Palacios ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Planting Date ◽

Harvest Date ◽

Timely Manner ◽

Phenological Stages ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Harvest Dates ◽

Key Factor ◽

Harvest Strategy ◽

The Impact

Edamame is a food-grade soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that is harvested immature between the R6 and R7 reproductive stages. To be labeled as a premium product, the edamame market demands large pod size and intense green color. A staggered harvest season is critical for the commercial industry to post-harvest process the crop in a timely manner. Currently, there is little information to assist in predicting the optimum time to harvest edamame when the pods are at their collective largest size and greenest color. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of cultivar, planting date, and harvest date on edamame color, pod weight, and a newly minted Edamame Harvest Quality Index combining both aforementioned factors. And to predict edamame harvest quality based on phenological stages, thermal units, and planting dates. We observed that pod color and weight depended on the cultivar, planting date, and harvest date combination. Our results also indicated that edamame quality is increased with delayed planting dates and that quality was dependent on harvest date with a quadratic negative response to delaying harvest. Maximum quality depended on cultivar and planting and harvest dates, but it remained stable for an interval of 18–27 days around the peak. Finally, we observed that the number of days between R1 and harvest was consistently identified as a key factor driving edamame quality by both stepwise regression and neural network analysis. These research results will help define a planting and harvest strategy for edamame production in Arkansas and the United States Mid-South.

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Effects of Planting Date for Soybean Growth, Development, and Yield in the Southern USA

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10040596 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 596

Author(s):

Nick R. Bateman ◽

Angus L. Catchot ◽

Jeff Gore ◽

Don R. Cook ◽

Fred R. Musser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Height ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Planting Date ◽

Yield Potential ◽

Canopy Closure ◽

Maturity Group ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Southern Us ◽

Crop Development ◽

The Impact

As fluctuating commodity prices change the agriculture landscape on a yearly basis, soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) has become the predominant crop in the southern USA, accounting for 65 percent of the total row crop production in the state. To accommodate increased soybean production, planting dates have expanded, spanning from late March through July. To determine the impact of this expanded planting window on soybean development and yield, field experiments were conducted at Starkville and Stoneville, MS, in 2013 and 2014. Treatments included seven planting dates ranging from 25 March to 15 July and two soybean cultivars (one Maturity Group IV and one Maturity Group V cultivar). These studies were conducted in irrigated high––yielding environments. Experimental units were sampled weekly for insect pests and insecticides were applied when populations exceeded the levels at which applications were recommended. Planting date had a significant impact on crop development, plant height, canopy closure, and yield. As planting date was delayed, the time required for crop development decreased from 122 total days for plantings on 25 March to 83 days for plantings on 15 July. For plantings after 2 June, plant height decreased by 1.1 cm per day. Canopy closure decreased by 1.01% per day after 27 May. Soybean yield decreased 26.7 kg/ha per day when soybean was planted after 20 April. This research demonstrates the importance of early planting dates for soybean producers in the southern US to ensure profitability by maximizing yield potential.

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Development of a model estimating root length density from root impacts on a soil profile in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum(L.) R. Br). Application to measure root system response to water stress in field conditions

10.1101/574285 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. Faye ◽

B. Sine ◽

J.L. Chopart ◽

A. Grondin ◽

M. Lucas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Root Length ◽

Management Practices ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

Root Length Density ◽

Field Conditions ◽

System Response ◽

The Impact ◽

Root Orientation

AbstractPearl millet, unlike other cereals, is able to withstand dry and hot conditions and plays an important role for food security in arid and semi-arid areas of Africa and India. However, low soil fertility and drought constrain pearl millet yield. One of the main targets to address these constraints through agricultural practices or breeding is root system architecture. In this study, in order to easily phenotype the root system in field conditions, we developed a model to predict root length density (RLD) of pearl millet plants from root intersection densities (RID) counted on a trench profile in field conditions. We identified root orientation as an important parameter to improve the relationship between RID and RLD. Root orientation was notably found to differ between thick roots (more anisotropic with depth) and fine roots (isotropic at all depths). We used our model to study pearl millet root system response to drought and showed that pearl millet reorients its root growth toward deeper soil layers that retain more water in these conditions. Overall, this model opens ways for the characterization of the impact of environmental factors and management practices on pearl millet root system development.

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PEARL MILLET PRODUCTION PRACTICES IN SEMI-ARID WEST AFRICA: A REVIEW

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479714000441 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 51 (4) ◽

pp. 501-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

STEPHEN C. MASON ◽

NOURI MAMAN ◽

SIÉBOU PALÉ

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Management Practices ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

West African ◽

Reference List ◽

The Past ◽

Production Practices ◽

Arid West ◽

Semi Arid

SUMMARYPearl millet (Pennisetum glaucumL.) is an important grain crop for millions of poor farmers and consumers in the semi-arid region of West Africa. During the past 40 years, much research on pearl millet production practices and adoption in this region has been conducted, but an attempt to summarize these results has not been previously completed and these research results are not readily available to many West African scientists. This review was completed to address this need and integrate knowledge, and at the same time identify research needs for the future and extension priorities for semi-arid West African agro-ecological zones. Research has shown that selection of improved varieties and cropping systems, appropriate cultural practices, and recommended integrated soil, nutrient, residue and pest management can greatly increase grain and stover yields of pearl millet. However, adoption by farmers has been minimal due to limited profitability, high risk and labour demand, limited input supply, market availability and appropriate public policy. This review has 196 articles included as in-text citations (Table 1) compared to 149 articles in the reference list, indicating that only one in four articles integrated two or more topics in the research. The obvious conclusion is that most of the past research has not addressed the ‘system’ but rather one or two management practices. In addition, most studies have interpreted responses in terms of yield without addressing other important considerations for farmer adoption. Recent conservation agriculture research moves closer to addressing the larger integrative types of research needed. Such research is complex and requires sustained funding for field and laboratory activities, but also for computer simulation modelling and economic assessment.

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Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13158460 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (15) ◽

pp. 8460

Author(s):

Armel Rouamba ◽

Hussein Shimelis ◽

Inoussa Drabo ◽

Mark Laing ◽

Prakash Gangashetty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Burkina Faso ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Management Practices ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

Control Measures ◽

Striga Hermonthica ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Management Options ◽

Central Plateau ◽

South Central

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.

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Assessment of genetic diversity among cultivated Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum, Poaceae) accessions from Benin, West Africa

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ◽

10.5897/ajb2017.15898 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 16 (15) ◽

pp. 782-790 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ADEOTI Kifouli ◽

DJEDATIN Gustave ◽

EWEDJE Ebenezer ◽

BEULE Thierry ◽

SANTONI Sylvain ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

West Africa ◽

Pearl Millet ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum

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Tillage and Planting Date Effects on Weed Dormancy, Emergence, and Early Growth in Organic Corn

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-d-14-00112.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

pp. 477-490 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

John R. Teasdale ◽

Steven B. Mirsky

Keyword(s):

Cover Crop ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Management Practices ◽

Crop Management ◽

Planting Date ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Planting Dates ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Giant Foxtail ◽

Smooth Pigweed

Insufficient weed control is a major constraint to adoption of reduced-tillage practices for organic grain production. Tillage, cover crop management, and crop planting date are factors that influence emergence periodicity and growth potential of important weed species in these systems. We assessed two hairy vetch cover crop management practices, disk-kill and roll-kill, across a range of corn planting dates from early May to late June in three experiments in Beltsville, MD. Patterns of seed dormancy, emergence, and early weed growth were determined for overseeded populations of common ragweed, giant foxtail, and smooth pigweed, three important species in the Mid-Atlantic states that represent early to late emergence. Common ragweed emergence was lowest and dormancy was highest of the three species across all planting dates. Giant foxtail emergence was higher than the other species in roll-killed hairy vetch and included a significant number of seeds that germinated before rolling operations in late June. Smooth pigweed had the highest emergence and lowest dormancy in disk-killed hairy vetch in June. Individual giant foxtail plant weight was higher in roll-killed than disk-killed hairy vetch in 2 of 3 yr, whereas that of smooth pigweed plants was higher in disk-killed than roll-killed vetch in 2 of 3 yr. Giant foxtail was the dominant species in roll-killed hairy vetch (averaged 79% of total weed biomass at corn silking), probably because of early germination and establishment before rolling operations. Smooth pigweed was the dominant species in disk-killed hairy vetch at June planting dates (averaged 77% of total weed biomass), probably because of high growth rates under warm conditions in tilled soil. This research demonstrated that cover crop management practices and the timing of planting operations can shift the dominant species of weed communities in organic farming systems and must be considered in long-term weed management planning.

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Occurrence of Bacterial Stripe of Pearl Millet in Georgia

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.2002.86.3.326b ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 86 (3) ◽

pp. 326-326

Author(s):

R. Gitaitis ◽

J. Wilson ◽

R. Walcott ◽

H. Sanders ◽

W. Hanna

Keyword(s):

Pearl Millet ◽

Sweet Corn ◽

Pennisetum Glaucum ◽

Methyl Esters ◽

The United States ◽

Negative Control ◽

Identification System ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Microbial Identification ◽

Atypical Symptoms

Bacterial stripe, caused by Acidovorax avenae subsp. avenae, was observed on breeding lines of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) in Georgia in 1999 and 2001. A gram-negative, oxidase-positive, rod-shaped bacterium that produced circular, cream-colored, nonfluorescent, butyrous colonies with entire margins on King's medium B was consistently isolated from leaf lesions. The bacterium was identified as A. avenae subsp. avenae by gas-chromatography of extracted, whole-cell, fatty acid methyl esters using the Sherlock Microbial Identification System (MIDI, Newark, DE) and by substrate utilization patterns using the Biolog Identification System (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA). Isolates from pearl millet produced amplicons of expected size (360 bp) from 16S rDNA after conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers WFB1 and WFB2, which are specific for A. avenae. When bacterial suspensions of 1 × 108 CFU/ml were infiltrated into the intercellular spaces of leaves of pearl millet seedlings in the greenhouse, typical water-soaked, reddish-brown stripes developed and were identical to those observed in the field. In contrast to previous reports (1), the pearl millet strains produced atypical symptoms on sweet corn (cvs. Merit and Primetime). Necroses were restricted, lacked customary water-soaking, and were similar to symptoms produced by the watermelon pathogen, A. avenae subsp. citrulli, which was used as a negative control. In contrast, three strains of A. avenae subsp. avenae previously isolated from corn in Georgia produced typical water-soaked stripes in both millet and the sweet corn ‘Merit’. However, like the millet strains, A. avenae subsp. avenae strains from corn produced atypical symptoms on the sweet corn ‘Primetime’. Using immunomagnetic separation and PCR (2), A. avenae subsp. avenae was detected in remaining samples of pearl millet seed planted in Georgia in 2001, as well as in remnant samples of seed sent to Puerto Rico for increase in 2000. The A. avenae subsp. avenae strain recovered from seed was identified by the methods listed above, and in the greenhouse it was identified by the production of typical water-soaked stripes after inoculation of pearl millet. This is the first report of A. avenae subsp. avenae infecting pearl millet in the United States. The detection and distribution of seedborne inoculum in breeding lines is significant since the program at Tifton represents a major effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop higher-yielding, disease-resistant pearl millet hybrids. Furthermore, the strains from pearl millet appear to be different from previous A. avenae subsp. avenae strains isolated from corn in Georgia, because they did not produce typical disease symptoms when infiltrated in corn leaves. References: (1) L. E. Claflin et al. Plant Dis. 73:1010, 1989. (2) R. R. Walcott and R. D. Gitaitis. Plant Dis. 84:470, 2000.

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Air Emissions from the Incineration of Hazardous Waste

Toxicology and Industrial Health ◽

10.1177/074823379000600503 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 23-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

E. Timothy Oppelt

Keyword(s):

Hazardous Waste ◽

Management Practices ◽

State Level ◽

Waste Incineration ◽

The United States ◽

Air Emissions ◽

Operational Experience ◽

Large Measure ◽

And Control ◽

The Impact

In the United States over the last ten years, concern over important disposal practices of the past has manifested itself in the passage of a series of federal and state-level hazardous waste cleanup and control statutes of unprecedented scope. The impact of these various statutes will be a significant modification of waste management practices. The more traditional and lowest cost methods of direct landfilling, storage in surface impoundments and deep-well injection will be replaced, in large measure, by waste minimization at the source of generation, waste reuse, physical/chemical/biological treatment, incinceration and chemical stabilization/solidification methods. Of all of the “terminal” treatment technologies, properly-designed incineration systems are capable of the highest overall degree of destruction and control for the broadest range of hazardous waste streams. Substantial design and operational experience exists and a wide variety of commercial systems are available. Consequently, significant growth is anticipated in the use of incineration and other thermal destruction methods. The objective of this paper is to examine the current state of knowledge regarding air emissions from hazardous waste incineration in an effort to put the associated technological and environmental issues into perspective.

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