after successful completion of this lesson, you have learned to answer: 1.how pearl millet is a...

After successful completion of this Lesson, you have learned to answer:

1. How pearl millet is a better crop than other cereal crops like maize, wheat, etc.?

2. How many days pearl millet seed takes to germinate?

3. Describe the root system in pearl millet?4. Describe the shoot system in pearl millet?5. What is boot stage and how can you

identify this stage in pearl millet?

Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics

Lesson 3: Growth of Pearl Millet Plant

Course on Diseases of Pearl Millet

Module I: About Pearl Millet





After successful completion of this Lesson, you have learned to answer:

6. How can you identify flowering in pearl millet?

7. What is physiological maturity in pearl millet?

8. How can you identify physiological maturity in pearl millet?

9. In how many days pearl millet plant matures?

10.What is the optimum stage to harvest pearl millet?





Pearl Millet is a member of the grass family and originally a wild plant in Africa.

The evolution of pearl millet under the pressures of drought and high temperatures imparted the ability to tolerate drought, soil toxicities, and extremes of temperature more effectively, to cultivated pearl millet plants than other cereals like wheat and rice.

Wild Pearl Millet Species





GerminationAt optimum temperature (25 to 300

C) and moisture, the pearl millet seed germinates in 2 to 4 days.

When pearl millet seed is sown in moist soil, the seed swells due to moisture absorption.

The seed coat breaks a small shoot (coleoptile) and a primary root (radicle) emerge.

Initially the young seedlings take nutrients from the endosperm of the seed.

Pearl Millet Germination





Root system

Primary roots

These roots develop from the radicle and die subsequently.





Root system

Secondary or Adventitious roots

These rots occupy 5 to 15 cm area in the soil around the base of the stem.

Adventitious roots are small, uniform, and form a small portion of the root system.

Secondary roots of Pearl Millet





Root system Secondary or Adventitious roots

Another type of permanent adventitious roots develop from the second internode and above.

These roots are branched laterally (about 1 sq.m) interlacing the soil vertically.

These roots mainly supply nutrients to the plant.

Pearl millet roots will grow up to more than 2 meters in pursuit of water and soil nutrients.

Permanent adventitious roots of Pearl Millet





Shoot systemSeedling development occurs during the first two to four weeks, and rapid stalk development occurs soon after.

Pearl millet often tillers producing a profuse leaf growth. There are different type of tillers:primary, basal, secondary, and nodal.

Tillering may be extensive in sparse stands, particularly if good soil moisture is available. Tillering in Pearl Millet





Shoot system

About 6 to 8 days before flowering, the boot forms a bulge in the sheath of the flag leaf (uppermost leaf). This stage is called boot leaf stage.

Pearl Millet usually flowers 40 to 55 days.

Flag Leaf

Boot





Shoot system

The flowering structure (inflorescence) in pearl millet is called as panicle or head.

In cultivated pearl millets, the panicle starts developing from 22 to 28 days after germination.





Shoot systemDepending on the variety or hybrid, the flowers begin to open in 2 to 3 days after the emergence of the panicle from the boot.

The flowering can be observed from the yellow pollen from the anthers on the panicle (pearl millet head).

The maximum flowering takes place on 3rd or 4th day. It takes 6 to 12 days for the whole panicle to complete flowering depending on the tillering habits and irrigated or rainfed crop.

Flowering in Pearl Millet





Seed Development

The pearl millet seed is called grain. The grain matures in 25 to 30 days after fertilization.

Pearl Millet seeds can be nearly white, pale yellow, brown, gray, slate blue or purple.

The ovoid grains are about 3 to 4 mm long. The 1000-seed weight ranges from 2.5 to 14 g with a mean of 8 g. The size of the pearl millet seed is about one-third that of sorghum.

Pearl Millet seeds





Variation in Pearl Millet Heads and Seed Color





Seed Development

Physiological maturity:

Maximum total dry weight of the plant reaches at the physiological maturity.

Uptake of nutrients also mostly cease at this stage.

So, if there are problems like bird damage, grain molds etc., it is advantageous to harvest the crop at this stage.





Seed Development

Like in sorghum, physiological maturity can be determined by the development of a small dark layer at the bottom of the grain and this occurs 20 to 25 days after flowering.

As the seed moisture at this stage will be around 25 to 35%, proper drying of the seeds is important.





Summary

The growth and development of pearl millet can be divided into 3 major stages.

Growth Stage 1

The seedling establishment with root, leaf, and tiller development takes place during this phase.

Panicle initiation also begins.

Growth Stage 1





Summary Growth Stage 2

Elongation of all the leaves, emergence of all tillers, floral initiation in tillers, and stem elongation takes place during this phase.

The elongation of the panicle and formation of floral parts are found in this phase.

This stage comes to end with the emergence of stigmas on the panicle.

Growth Stage 2





SummaryGrowth Stage 3

This phase begins with fertilization of florets and continues up to maturity of the plant.The dry matter accumulation is mainly in grain formation and partly in the enlargement of stem and leaves of the tillers.The end of this phase is physiological maturity, indicated by the development of dark layer at the bottom of the grain.

Growth Stage 3





Growth Character Short Duration Long Duration Approx. Days after emergence

0 Coleoptile visible 0 01 3rd Leaf Stage 6 62 5th Leaf Stage 14 153 Panicle Initiation 22 284 Flag Leaf Visible 33 435 Boot Stage 36 476 50% Stigma Emergence 40 537 Milk Stage 49 618 Dough Stage 58 699 Physiological Maturity 65 75

Summary of Growth Stages






Vegetative Phase (0 T0 3) GS1

Panicle Development (4 T0 6) GS2

Grain-Filling Phase (7 T0 9) GS3






Major Short Duration Long DurationGrowth Phase Approximate duration (days)

Growth Phase 1 22 28








These 3 growth stages are the averages for environmental conditions during June-September at Hyderabad, India (170 North latitude).

Developmental rates are a function of the environmental conditions and the variety that is grown.

The duration of growth stages may vary considerably for other locations and varieties.

With this, the Lesson on Growth of Pearl Millet Plant, and also the Module 1 - About Pearl Millet concludes.

To assess your understanding on “About Pearl Millet”, please click on “Exercise” button in Module I contents.

The next Module provides information about the area and distribution of pearl millet cultivation.

Select Module II from Course contents




after successful completion of this lesson, you have learned to answer: 1.how pearl millet is a...

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