Panicum Miliaceum Research Articles

Optimization and characterization of malted proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) based bread

AbstractAn optimal mixture design was employed to optimize flour combination consisting of refined wheat flour (50%–75.9%), malted proso millet flour (20%–45.7%), and gluten (2%–5%) on responses, namely bread volume, hardness, springiness, L* value of crust, L* value of crumb, and overall acceptability of malted millet bread. The optimum level was found to be 73.3% of refined wheat flour, 24.7% of malted proso millet, and 2% of gluten, resulting in bread volume (773.33 cm3), hardness (79.08 N), springiness (0.054 mm), L* value crust (58.16), L* value crumb (64.08), and overall acceptability (7.89), respectively. The optimized bread showed significantly higher protein, ash, crude fiber, dietary fiber, and antioxidant activity than the control refined wheat flour bread. Therefore, optimized bread exhibited higher nutritional properties, making it appropriate for large‐scale production to improve consumers' nutrient delivery and protein requirements.

First report of maize yellow mosaic virus (MaYMV) naturally infecting wheat in China.

Maize yellow mosaic virus (MaYMV), a new species in the genus Polerovirus (family Solemoviridae), was reported in maize for the first time in China in 2016 (Chen et al., 2016). Later, MaYMV was found in other gramineous species including sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), itch grass (Rottboellia cochinchinensis), millet (Panicum miliaceum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in several countries in Asia, Africa, and South America (Yahaya et al. 2017; Lim et al. 2018; Sun et al. 2019; Nithya et al. 2021). Here, we report its presence in cultivated wheat (Triticum aestivum), detected using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). In 2021 in Henan Province, China, wheat plants with virus-like symptoms such as yellowing, stunting, and vein clearing were collected from fields in Luoyang (three plants, cv. Luohan 6), Nanyang (two plants, cv. Xinong 979), and Anyang (one plant, cv. Bainong 207). RNA was extracted from symptomatic leaves of each plant sample using TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). From each sample, 1 μg of RNA was mixed into a single pool to construct an rRNA-depleted RNA-seq library using a TruSeq RNA Sample Prep Kit for sequencing on the HiSeq X-Ten platform as 150-bp paired-end reads. A total of 88,892,804 clean reads were obtained after removing adaptor sequences and low-quality reads. Reads were mapped against the wheat genome database (IWGSC RefSeq v2.1) using the hisat2 v2.0.5 program. Remaining sequences were de novo assembled into contigs with Trinity program. Contigs from barley yellow dwarf virus PAV (BYDV-PAV), and BYDV-GAV were identified using a Blast search of the NCBI nr/nt database, all previously reported in wheat in China. Interestingly, four contigs with high similarity (>95%, at the nucleotide level) to MaYMV were also identified. Using the sequence of MaYMV isolate Yunnan 9 (KU291105) as reference, a total of 1,260 reads from HTS mapped to the virus genome with a coverage of 75.5% (average coverage: 33.5×). For verifying the presence of MaYMV in the source samples, MaYMV-specific primers MV-fw/MV-rev were designed to amplify the 513-bp fragment of the RdRp gene by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the original total RNA. RT-PCR assay revealed that only 1 of the 6 samples tested positive for MaYMV, while the remaining plants were positive for other viruses (BYDV-PAV and BYDV-GAV that produce similar symptoms; viral-specific primers as previously described [Liu et al., 2020]). A subsequent survey of 17 winter wheat fields in 2021 confirmed that 6 of 286 wheat samples with virus symptoms were infected with MaYMV; 4 positives were from Linfen, Shanxi Province and 1 each from Yuanyang and Anyang, Henan Province. The full genome of wheat-infecting MaYMV isolate Anyang1 was then sequenced using RT-PCR with Sanger sequencing technology; the genomic sequence (5,642 nt) was deposited in GenBank as accession OK331995. BLASTn search showed that the complete genome sequence of this virus is 99.0%, 98.9% and 98.7% identical to isolate SC1 (MK652148), Guizhou1 (KU291107) and Yunnan 11 (KU248489), respectively. Also, the MaYMV isolate Anyang1 obtained in this study clustered with other MaYMV isolates in a phylogenetic analysis based on MaYMV full genomes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MaYMV in wheat worldwide. The presence of MaYMV in wheat is important because winter wheat could serve as an overwintering reservoir of MaYMV and perpetuate the virus in wheat-maize rotation systems in northern China.

Utilization of pumpkin seed oil cake and proso millet flour in enhancing gluten‐free bread quality

Gluten free bakery products often contain high levels of starch and refined rice flour, ingredients that are hypoallergenic but of low nutritive value. Pumpkin seed cake is a gluten free, nutrient-dense by-product of the oil industry, unfortunately still mainly used as animal feed. This study aimed to optimize the use pumpkin seed cake (10-30 %) flour and proso millet flour (10-50 %), in rice gluten free bread, based on their effect on textural and sensory properties, nutritive value and bread yield, through a central composite design (n = 13). While pumpkin seed cake flour contributed to nutritive value, it had a predominantly negative effect on texture and colour. These drawbacks were somewhat reversed by the proso millet flour, indicating a complementary relationship between the two flours. The optimized gluten free bread can be labelled rich in protein (14.1 g/100 g) and a source of fiber (5.2 g/100 g).

SNP discovery in proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) using low-pass genome sequencing.

Domesticated ~10,000 years ago in northern China, Proso millet ( Panicum miliaceum L.) is a climate‐resilient and human health‐promoting cereal crop. The genome size of this self‐pollinated allotetraploid is 923 Mb. Proso millet seeds are an important part of the human diet in many countries. In the USA, its use is restricted to the birdseed and pet food market. Proso millet is witnessing gradual demand in the global human health and wellness food market owing to its health‐promoting properties such as low glycemic index and gluten‐free. The breeding efforts for developing improved proso millet cultivars are hindered by the dearth of genomic resources available to researchers. The publication of the reference genome and availability of cost‐effective NGS methodologies could lead to the identification of high‐quality genetic variants, which can be incorporated into breeding pipelines. Here, we report the identification of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by low‐pass (1×) genome sequencing of 85 diverse proso millet accessions from 23 different countries. The 2 × 150 bp Illumina paired‐end reads generated after sequencing were aligned to the proso millet reference genome. The resulting sequence alignment information was used to call SNPs. We obtained 972,863 bi‐allelic SNPs after quality filtering of the raw SNPs. These SNPs were used to assess the population structure and phylogenetic relationships among the accessions. Most of the accessions were found to be highly inbred with heterozygosity ranging between .05 and .20. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 (principal component) and PC2 explained 19% of the variability in the population. PCA also clustered all the genotypes into three groups. A neighbor‐joining tree clustered the genotypes into four distinct groups exhibiting diverse representation within the population. The SNPs identified in our study could be used for molecular breeding and genetics research (e.g., genetic and association mapping, and population genetics) in proso millet after proper validation.

Effects of intergenerational host plant alterations on developmental parameters of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

• The fall armyworm (FAW) could be bred successfully on sudan grass, millet, and rye (R). • FAW’s developmental parameters showed dynamic changes by sequential alternation of host plants. • FAW was able to successfully reproduce up to five generations with non-preferred host plants. • Rye, a winter crop, might be an important hosts for migrated corn strain FAW. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith), is known as a destructive moth pest of agricultural crops such as corn, rice, and sorghum. Recently, its damage threatens crops in Asian temperate regions due to its high migration ability. Two genetic types of FAW, a corn strain mostly found on corn and a rice strain associated with rice, have been reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether migrated corn-collected population of FAW could maintain its population on various seasonal plants including non-preferred Poaceae plants, with special emphasis on Jeju, Korea. Development-related parameters were compared after switching host plants including corn (C), Sudan grass (S), proso millet (M), and rye (R) when rearing FAW. Most developmental parameters showed dynamic changes according to sequential alternation of host plants with the progress of generations. When all R 0 (net reproductive rate) values were scaled by the R 0 in C to C alteration, the scaled values of other alterations were less than “1.0”, indicating less fitness than C to C alteration ( R 0 value: 0.57 for C to S, 0.49 for C to M in F3 generation; 0.82 for S to S, 0.65 for S to M, and 0.58 for S to C in F4 generation, 0.50 for M to M, 0.59 for M to R, and 0.83 for M to C in F5 generation). Although our results did not show that S. frugiperda adapted perfectively on new host plants, this pest was able to successfully reproduce up to five generations with non-preferred host plants. Results indicate that winter crops such as rye might be hosts for migrated corn-preferred populations of S . frugiperda during winter after breeding three to four cycles on other host plants before winter if weather condition is allowed for its survival.

Millet: The future rice

Millet is one of the cereal grain belongs to grass family. Its widely consumed in developing countries and in India. Millet Millet is a rich source of nutrition. The food products and beverages made out of them have many health benefits. “Different types of millets have their own specialties. Sorghum grain is completely gluten-free and rich in iron, protein and fibre. Finger millet is a source of natural calcium and iron. It helps cure anaemia, and improves bone health. Pearl millet consists of magnesium which helps in reducing respiratory problems. Millets are highly nutritious, non-glutinous and non acid forming foods. Millets have many nutritional and health promoting properties especially the high fibre content. Millets hydrate our colon to keep us from being constipated. Niacin in millet can help lower cholesterol. Millets contain major and minor nutrients in good amount along with dietary fibre. They are rich in nutrition and dietary fibre. They serve as good source of protein, micronutrients and phyto chemicals. The millets contain 7-12% protein, 2-5% fat, 65-75% carbohydrates and 15-20% dietary fibre. The essential amino acid profile of the millet protein is better than various cereals such as maize. Millets contain fewer cross-linked prolamins, which may be an additional factor contributing to higher digestibility of the millet protein. Millets are more nutritious than fine cereals. Small millets are good source of phosphorous and iron. Millets contributes to antioxidant activity with phytates, polyphenols, tannins, anthocyanins, phytosterols and pinacosanols present in it having important role in aging and metabolic diseases. All millets possess high antioxidant acitivity. There are several varieties of millets. Pearl millet (bajra), sorghum millet (jowar), buckwheat (kuttu), amaranth (rajgira), finger millet (nachni /ragi), foxtail millet (kangni), little millet (samai), kodo millet (kodon), barnyard millet (sanwa) and proso millet (chena) are some of the types. The nutritional value, availability and huge production of the grain has drag the special attention of stakeholders. This article deals with three major aspects that Millet as a substitute food against rice, nutritional benefit of millet and awareness of millet consumption in common people.

고대 농업 사회의 위기 관리 전략: 원삼국시대 중부지방을 대상으로

In the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, as the characteristics of an intensive agricultural society emerged, new types of risk management strategies were expected to emerge and differ according to regional conditions. In this paper, various types of archaeological data were analyzed to identify risk management strategies related to risk prevention, self-assumption, and pooling. First, the types and quantities of crop and livestock remains were analyzed to identify risk prevention strategies such as diversification and the use of environmentally sensitive species, and second, wild animal and plant remains and hunting-related tools were analyzed to identify risk prevention strategies based on food diversification. Lastly, the third attempt was to reveal risk self-assumption and pooling strategies through analysis of storage patterns.
 As a result of the analysis of archaeological data, it was found that in the central region of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, various foods were used as possible, and millet with low environmental sensitivity were mainly cultivated to prevent risk, and risk was assumed and shared with limited storage pooling strategies. Differences between regions or sites were observed in detail in risk prevention strategies such as crop diversity, the proportion of hunter-gathering, and the proportion of broomcorn millet and Barnyard millet with different environmental sensitivity, and it was estimated that these differences were affected by environmental conditions. The risk management strategy, which appeared in the central region of the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, was thought to show that maintaining a stable subsistence was important rather than taking risks to obtain high profits.

The lifestyle of Tuyuhun royal descendants: Identification and chemical analysis of buried plants in the Chashancun cemetery, northwest China.

The Tuyuhun Kingdom (AD 313–663) was one of the most famous regimes in northwest China during the early medieval period. However, the lifestyle and spiritual pursuit of their descendants who became allied with the Tang Dynasty remain enigmatic. The excavation of the Chashancun cemetery, a Tuyuhun royal descendant (AD 691) cemetery in the Qilian Mountains in northwest China, reveals a large amount of uncharred plant remains. These remains provided a rare opportunity to explore the geographical origin of the buried crops and their social implications. In total, 253,647 crops and 12,071 weeds were identified. Foxtail millet and broomcorn millet represent 61.99 and 30.83% of the total plant remains, with the rest being barley, buckwheat, beans, and hemp. The oxygen isotope and trace elements of the crop and weed remains suggest that broomcorn millet, foxtail millet, barley, buckwheat, and hemp were sourced from different regions. The assemblage of plant remains in the Chashancun cemetery suggests that millet cultivation played an important role in the livelihoods of Tuyuhun descendants, and the location of the elite Tuyuhun cemetery and multisources of different buried crops may reflect their memory of ancestors and homelands. This case study provides a unique perspective to understand the interactions among human subsistence strategy, geopolitical patterns, and local natural environments in northwest China during the late 7th century.

Functional Characteristics of Lactic Acid Bacteria In Vitro Isolated from Spontaneously Fermented Sour Porridge with Broomcorn Millet in Northwestern Shanxi Province of China.

Eighteen strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from spontaneously fermented sour porridge with broomcorn millet in Northwestern Shanxi Province of China, and their probiotic characteristics were investigated in vitro. Survival rates under gastrointestinal conditions, cholesterol reduction, antibacterial capabilities, antioxidant activities, and safety assessments were examined. Results showed that five strains were selected as probiotics and identified as Levilactobacillus brevis. Strain L10 exhibited excellent probiotic characteristics, with an 86% survival rate under pH 2.0 for 2 h, 80% survival rate in 0.3% bile salt for 6 h, the highest survival rate (78%) in simulated gastrointestinal juice for 3 h, the highest hydrophobicity (42% to xylene and 39% to hexadecane), the highest aggregation (39% auto-aggregation and 10.4–18.13% co-aggregation), relative higher cholesterol reduction rate (80%), the highest antibacterial activities, the highest antioxidant activity, sensitive to most antibiotics tested, without hemolytic and hydrolyze gelatinase activity and could not produce biogenic amine. Therefore, strain L10 could be applied to functional foods.

Reclamation in southern China: The early Chu's agriculture revealed by macro-plant remains from the Wanfunao site (ca. 1000-770 BCE).

The Wanfunao site was a large Chu settlement in Zhou Dynasty. It was located on an alluvial plain along the Yangtze River in the Yichang section. The region around the site comprised mountains, hills, and plains, which was a compatible environment for the cultivation of various crops. Previous studies have suggested that the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are one of the most productive regions for rice cultivation. Besides rice, however, seven dryland crops have been found at the Wanfunao site: foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, wheat, barley, oat, buckwheat, and adzuki bean. Among them, foxtail millet and rice are most ubiquitous. The crop assemblage has revealed that the northern dryland crops, including those were newly adapted cereals such as foxtail millet, wheat, and barley, gradually dispersed southward and became a part of the diet along with rice. This can be attributed to southern Chinese inhabitants’ reclamation of the hilly environment for agriculture. Although communities in southern China had cultivated rice on the plains for thousands of years, newly introduced dryland crops from north China adapted to mountainous environments better. The development of multi-cropping systems in southern China likely involved changes in agricultural ontology associated with the adaptation of northern crops in southern environments newly encountered. Additionally, the assemblage of foxtail millet grain/rice spikelet base in the site may have been used for livestock feeding. A wide range of landforms, compatible farming, and surplus agricultural products for husbandry may have been a part of the economic foundation that facilitated the rise of Chu.

Castor based nutri-cereals intercropping system on Weed density, Weed dry weight and Weed Smothering Efficiency

Field experiment was conducted during summer season, 2022 at Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore to study the influence of castor based nutri cereal intercropping on weed density, weed dry weight and Weed Smothering Efficiency. The experimental was laid out in Randomize Block Design (RBD) comprises of thirteen treatments and three replications. Results revealed that lesser weed density and weed dry weight at 30, 60 and 90 DAS was recorded under solo little millet, proso millet and foxtail millet followed by intercropping with castor + foxtail millet (1:3), castor + proso milet (1:3) and castor + little millet (1:3) when compare to paired row cropping (2:4). Solo castor recorded higher weed density and total weed dry matter production at 30 DAS, 60 DAS and 90 DAS. Castor intercropped with foxtail millet (1:3), proso millet (1:3) and little millet (1:3) recorded highest Weed Smothering Efficiency when compared to paired row cropping.

Early cultivation of broomcorn millet in southern Britain: evidence from the Late Bronze Age settlement site of Old Catton, Norfolk

A single pit containing a mixed assemblage of charred plant remains, including broomcorn millet, was discovered during excavation of a Middle–Late Bronze Age settlement at Old Catton, Norfolk. Radiocarbon dating of this assemblage dates it to the Late Bronze Age—including a date of 910–800 cal BC for the millet itself—making this the earliest securely dated use of broomcorn millet in Britain.

“Perchoo,” or the Music of Mourning

“Perchoo,” or the Music of Mourning

Utilization Of Buckwheat, Proso Millet, And Amaranth For A Gluten-Free Cereal Bar

Four formulations of cereal bar were prepared using common buckwheat (55 parts), proso millet (15-30 parts), white amaranth (25-40 parts), walnut (27.5 parts), and jaggery (50 parts), by varying the proportions of proso millet and white amaranth in the ratio of 15:40, 20:35, 25:30 and 30:25. Roasted cereals and walnut pieces were mixed with jaggery syrup of 73.7° Bx and baked at 120° C for 20 minutes. The bars' proximate composition, mineral content (Ca, Fe and P) were evaluated and compared with the bar available in the market. The textural analysis and sensory profile of the bar were also evaluated. The crude fiber, calcium, and iron were significantly higher (p<0.05) in formulated bars compared to the market sample while energy and fat content were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the market sample. The formulated bars provided 440.31- 489.81kcal energy per 100 g, which qualified the product as a good energy-dense snack. From the textural analysis and sensory evaluation, Formulation C (common buckwheat-55, proso millet-25, white amaranth-30, walnut-27.5, and jaggery-50) was harder and preferred the most based on taste and overall acceptability. The research concludes the good potentiality of underutilized crops for cereal bar production.

Influence of Ƴ-irradiation and genotype on the structural and techno-functional properties and microbial quality of Millet flour

Barnyard(Echinochloautilis),Finger (Eleusinecoracana), Foxtail (Setaria italic), Kodo (Paspalumsetaceum) Little (Panicum sumatrense),Pearl (Pennisetumglaucum), and Proso(Penicummiliaceum) millets are staple foods for Indian and African diets.Post harvest handling primarily the storage conditions during rainy season leads to significant losses of millets in Asia and Africa.Poor storage conditions during rainy seasons lead to germination and fungal growth due to poor storage infrastructure facilities in Asia and Africa. To prevent food losses and to understand the irradiation influence on biopolymer functionality, the millets were irradiated at a dosage of 2.5 and 5 kGy at 12% and 14% moisture contents and milled to prepare the flour.The flour was analysed for microbial count and changes in structural and functional properties to understand the implications on end-use. Post irradiation, oil absorption, emulsion capacity, and water absorption decreased significantly (p≤0.05), while foaming capacity, emulsion stability, and foaming stability increased. Hunter color values L*, a*, and b* showed different trends with an increase in dosage of irradiation.FTIR studies revealed that there were shifts in the functional groups, primarily a decrease in the intensities of O-H, C-H, and O=C stretches and the bending mode of water.Scanning electron microscopy at 2500x magnification revealed different morphological shapes from spherical, polygonal, and a few spherical granules. In our studies we observed that gamma irradiation decreases the nicrobial count and at the same time deactivates the germinating enzymes.Therefore the irradiation treatment is an affordable and effective methodology to prevent post harvest losses of millets In general, irradiation influenced the millet flour functionality and a decrease in microbial with irradiation , therefore,irradiation can help prevent post-harvestmillet lossesin developing nations. Studies on controlled irradiation can help improve the flour properties for better end use

Shift in subsistence crop dominance from broomcorn millet to foxtail millet around 5500 BP in the western Loess Plateau.

Broomcorn and foxtail millet were the most important crops in northern China during the Neolithic period. Although the significance of broomcorn millet in human subsistence exceeded that of foxtail millet during the early Neolithic, this pattern was reversed by the end of Neolithic period. However, the process underlying this shift remains unclear. The recent excavation of the Gedachuan (GDC) in Zhangjiachuan county has revealed an abundance of relics including millet crop remains from relatively continuous strata of the Yangshao and Qijia cultures, and therefore provides a unique opportunity to examine how and when foxtail millet replaced broomcorn millet as the dominant crop in the western Loess Plateau during the Neolithic period. In this study, we identify 1,738 and 2,686 broomcorn and foxtail millet remains, respectively, from 74 flotation samples, accounting for 38.81% and 59.98% of total plant remains, respectively. Compared with 23 direct dates of carbonized crop grains in GDC, we propose that the weight of foxtail millet in plant subsistence of GDC first exceeded that of broomcorn millet as early as ∼5,500 BP, filling an important gap in the archaeobotanical record from the western Loess Plateau. Further comparative analysis of multidisciplinary data suggests the shift in significance of these two millet crops during the late Neolithic may have been triggered by variations in human settlement intensity and climate change in the western Loess Plateau. The results of this study also suggest that the Banpo Phase of Yangshao Culture survived in the western Loess Plateau as late as ∼5,600 BP.

Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenase 1 Catalyzes Lutein Degradation To Influence Carotenoid Accumulation and Color Development in Foxtail Millet Grains.

Foxtail millet is a minor but economically important crop in certain regions of the world. Millet color is often used to judge grain quality, yet the molecular determinants of millet coloration remain unclear. Here, we explored the relationship between SiCCD1 and millet coloration in yellow and white millet varieties. Carotenoid levels declined with grain maturation and were negatively correlated with SiCCD1 expression, which was significantly higher in white millet as compared to yellow millet during the color development stage. Cloning of the SiCCD1 promoter and CDS sequences from these different millet varieties revealed the presence of two additional cis-regulatory elements within the SiCCD1 promoter in white millet varieties, including an enhancer-like GC motif element associated with anoxic specific inducibility and a GCN4-motif element associated with endosperm expression. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that SiCCD1 promoter fragments containing these additional cis-acting elements derived from white millet varieties were significantly more active than those from yellow millet varieties, consistent with the observed SiCCD1 expression patterns. Further in vitro enzyme detection assays confirmed that SiCCD1 primarily targets and degrades lutein. Together, these data suggest that SiCCD1 promoter variation was a key factor associated with the observed differences in SiCCD1 expression, which in turn led to the difference in millet coloration.

Pottery Use and Starchy Foods During the Shuangdun Culture (ca.7.3–6.8 Ka BP) in the Middle Catchment of the Huai River, China

The use of rice and millet has been uncovered at a few archaeological sites associated with the Shuangdun Culture (ca. 7.3–6.8 ka BP) in the middle catchment of the Huai River, China. Nevertheless, the consumption of rice, millet, and other types of plant foods at other contemporaneous sites in the same region still needs supporting information from more case studies. This article examines pottery sherds (n = 21) excavated from another representative Shuangdun Culture site at Houjiazhai with starch grain analysis. Varied types of pottery vessels contain starch remains from rice (Oryza sativa), foxtail millet (Setaria italica), broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), Job’s tears (Coix lacryma-jobi), Triticeae, roots of snake gourd (Trichosanthes kirilowii), lotus root (Nelumbo nucifera), Chinese yam (Dioscorea panthainca), lily bulbs (Lilium sp.), acorns (Quercus sp.), and beans (Vigna sp. or/and Vicia sp.). Further quantitative analysis of the starch data indicates that cereals, including rice and millet, were predominantly consumed in the pottery vessels. Changes and continuities of culinary practices are also present at Houjiazhai, which are reflected in the different pottery assemblages as well as the utilized plant species in different occupation phases at the site. Combining previous studies, this article also reveals the differences and similarities of the past population in choosing their plant food resources during the period of Shuangdun Culture in the middle catchment of the Huai River, China.

Sowing Date Regulates the Growth and Yield of Broomcorn Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.): From Two Different Ecological Sites on the Loess Plateau of China

A two-year experiment was conducted to determine the optimal combinations of sowing date and variety maturity using four broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) varieties. The results showed that sowing dates had significant effects on the leaf net photosynthesis (Pn) and chlorophyll fluorescence and multivariate analysis showed that the effects of variety, sowing date, measuring stage and their interactions were significant in both sites. The days from seeding to maturity were strongly decreased (6–35 d) and the ratios of reproductive growth to vegetative growth were increased in V2 and V4 and decreased in V1 and V3 in Baoji and increased in all varieties in Yulin. The highest yield was Jinshu 5 in Baoji and Shaanmei 1 in Yulin, and the total average yield of Yulin (2408.3 kg ha−1) was higher than that of Baoji (1385.2 kg ha−1) and the average yield was reduced by 12.4% and 27.2% compared to BJ1 in Baoji and 15.5%, 3.6% and 12.7% compared to YL1 in Yulin. Correlation analysis showed that the key meteorological factors which limit the growth and yield of broomcorn millet were different for the two sites. Moreover, linear fitting analysis indicated that the accumulated temperature and the number of growth days in the reproductive growth stage (R2 = 0.5306 and 0.5139) and accumulated temperature during the whole growth period (R2 = 0.4323) were the top three factors affecting the yield in Baoji and precipitation (R2 = 0.386) affected the yield in Yulin. Overall, the results of this study determined that the varieties of broomcorn millet with a short growth period should have delayed sowing, while those with a longer growth period are suitable for early sowing in the semi-arid area.

Combined Use of Green Manure and Biological Agents to Control Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitwood in Soybean

Root-knot nematode management requires the adoption of integrated practices. Biological agents and cultural control practices are the most widely used, but little is known about their combined effects. This study aimed to assess the interaction effects of the biological agents Trichoderma harzianum + Purpureocillium lilacinum and different green manures on the control of Meloidogyne javanica in soybean under greenhouse conditions. Green manures from white oat, Urochloa ruziziensis, Crotalaria spectabilis, millet, and buckwheat were grown separately and applied onto the soil surface. Subsequently, soybean seeds were treated with the biological agent and planted. The experiment was repeated twice to confirm the results. In Trial 1 and 2, application of green manure or biological treatment alone was efficient in reducing nematode populations. In Trial 1, there was an interaction between factors on total nematode number and number of nematodes per gram of root. Combined use of biological control with white oat and millet green manure produced great results, since when associated with the biological one, the reduction in the total number of nematodes was potentiated by 55 and 49%, respectively (Trial 1). There was no interaction between green manure and biological factors for Trial 2, and the best results were observed with green manures of C. spectabilis, U. ruziziensis and white oat, with a reduction in the population density of the nematode in 60, 59 and 44%, respectively. It is concluded that green manure application and T. harzianum + P. lilacinum were effective in reducing nematode populations when applied separately. White oat and millet green manures associated with T. harzianum + P. lilacinum increase thecontrol of M. javanica in soybean.