IPM Packages for Crops

Pearl Millet Package

Pearl millet headminer

P earl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ) (Poales: Poaceae) is a crop native to Africa. Pearl millet is usually grown without irri- gation or fertilizers. This crop is grown in well-drained soils and is well-adapted to poor, dry, and infertile soils; therefore, it is critically important for food security in some of the world’s hottest, driest cultivated areas where soils are tough and rainfall is low. With climate change affecting weather and rainfall patterns, it is becoming an increasingly important crop. Pearl millet is the most widely cultivated millet and India and Africa are its largest producers. It is mostly grown in the drier areas of India and Sahelian Africa. Other countries where pearl millet is grown include the United States and Puerto Rico. The short-cycle cultivars (85–95 days to maturity) are the most widely cultivated compared to long-cycle (120–130 days maturity) cultivars and can be grown under irrigation in rotation with higher-value crops. Pearl millet can tolerate higher temperatures but does not tolerate long consecutive drought periods. Pearl millet is used in making porridge and millet flour is used to make flat - bread. Millets have about 73% carbohydrates, 11% protein, 9% water, and 4% fat. In addition to being an important food source, pearl millet has several medicinal applications (it is gluten-free, can reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and can address iron and zinc deficiency). The stems can be used for building construction and as roof thatch. In India and Africa, mil - let is also used as fodder. Pearl millet can be used as a cover crop to suppress soil-borne diseases and to increase soil organic matter. Major abiotic stresses include long periods of drought, cold weather, and increased nitrate levels. Younger pearl millet plants encompass greater levels of nitrate, which could be harmful to cattle. Major insect pests include several species of stem borers, shoot fly ( Atherigona approximata ), pearl millet head-miner ( Heliocheilus albipunctella ), and grain midge ( Geromyia penniseti ). Major diseases include cercospora leaf spot ( Cercospora penniseti ), rust ( Puccinia substriata ), pearl millet downy mildew ( Sclerospora graminicola Sacc. ), ergot ( Claviceps fusiformis ), and smut ( Tolyposporium penicillariae ).