Late Planting Date Influences the Yield and Distribution of Pearl Millet Forage

Abstract

Staggered plantings of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] are recommended to better distribute forage production throughout the growing season, but the effect later planting has on yield potential and distribution are not well understood. The effect of delayed planting on total dry matter (DM) yield and the distribution of the yield produced by pearl millet were compared over three years in a small plot experiment at the University of Georgia's Plant Sciences Farm located near Watkinsville, GA. Five planting date treatments (beginning ca. 27 April of each year and on ca. 30‐day increments thereafter) were compared. Total DM yields were the highest in the late April planting and decreased linearly (by as much as 80 lb/acre) for each day plantings were delayed past late April in 2008 and 2009 and quadratically during the extreme drought conditions of 2007. In contrast to previous reports for irrigated pearl millet plantings, the forage accumulation rate during the season did not result in a skewed distribution of yield in the planting dates of the current study. Staggering plantings beyond late April may not improve yield distribution within the forage system because of the yield decreases associated with later plantings of pearl millet.

Planting Date Affects Rainfed Sorghum Forage Yields in Semiarid, Subtropical Environments

“…1). But, contrary to the studies by Fontaneli et al (4) and Hancock and Durham (6), planting in April at this location is not feasible (14) because 10‐day soil temperatures do not reach 60°F until mid May on the average (8) and temperatures below that can result in poor stands (10), which may be the reason Williams (14) measured reduced yields for early May plantings compared to mid‐May plantings. Stand differences due to poor establishment among years or planting dates were not observed in the present study.…”

“…In that study (2), PM yields also declined after the 11 July planting. Hancock and Durham (6) reported a year × planting date effect for PM attributing it to precipitation distribution. Hancock and Durham (6) stated that yield reductions in late planted PM were greater under extreme drought conditions.…”

“…Hancock and Durham (6) reported a year × planting date effect for PM attributing it to precipitation distribution. Hancock and Durham (6) stated that yield reductions in late planted PM were greater under extreme drought conditions. Unger (13) measured lower FS yields in a single‐cut system when September precipitation was zero compared to 0.33 to 0.50 inch for that month in other years.…”

“…Despite the interactions, on average, sorghum forages planted in May or early June had greater yields than sorghum forages planted in late June or July (Table 1). Hancock and Durham (6), in Georgia, reported that yields of PM planted in June or July were reduced by one‐third to one‐half, respectively, compared to April plantings. This is consistent with sorghum forages planted in late June and July compared to being planted in mid May or early June in the present study and for PM and PS in the study by Bean et al (2).…”

“…Williams (14) also measured reduced yields by late planted irrigated FS. Hancock and Durham (6) measured reductions of up to 80 lb/acre/day for delayed planting. Fontaneli et al (4), in Florida, measured yield reductions of 20 to 32 lb/acre/day for PM and SS stating that PM was more suited to later plantings than SS.…”