How to Grow Foxtail Millet? Detailed Explanation of Planting Methods and Key Technical Points

Foxtail millet has a long cultivation history in our country, China. The grain has high nutritional value, containing rich protein, fat and vitamins, and is one of the main food grains for people. So, how do you grow foxtail millet?

1. Land selection and crop rotation

Because foxtail millet seeds are small, the sprouts are weak, and their ability to push through the soil is poor, foxtail millet should be planted on plots with loose soil, flat terrain, relatively thick soil layer, good drainage and irrigation, and high organic matter content. After the plot is selected, the land must be finely prepared and well leveled. Foxtail millet requires crop rotation and should not be continuous cropping (planting foxtail millet continuously on the same plot), nor should it be planted after a one-crop interval on the same land. Foxtail millet rotation is generally 3-4 years. The best preceding crop for foxtail millet is legumes or green manure, followed by crops such as wheat and corn.

2. Fine land preparation and sufficient basal fertilizer

Fine land preparation can prevent drought, preserve soil moisture and ensure full stands. Land preparation should be done early; as soon as the soil thaws to a plough depth, shallow ploughing should be carried out in time and sufficient basal fertilizer applied together with shallow ploughing. Generally, 5000 kg of farmyard manure and 15 kg of diammonium phosphate are applied per mu. After ploughing, the land should be immediately harrowed and leveled to preserve moisture. After land preparation, the soil should be fine, thorough, level and crumbly, with a loose top and firm bottom, and free of residual plants and stubble before sowing.

3. Sowing

(1) Timely sowing. The minimum temperature for foxtail millet seed germination is 7-8 degrees C, and the optimum temperature is about 13 degrees C. Seedlings are not tolerant of low temperatures, so the sowing date of foxtail millet should be determined according to local conditions. In Zhangye, sowing from late April to early May is appropriate. Treat the seed with 50% carbendazim at 5% of seed weight, which can prevent smut.

(2) Sowing rate and sowing depth. Calculate the sowing rate according to the required number of seedlings, germination rate, true hybrid rate and thousand-grain weight. Generally, the sowing rate is 1-1.5 kg per mu. For sowing depth, follow the principle that good soil moisture means shallow sowing and poor soil moisture means deeper sowing. A sowing depth of 3-4 cm is appropriate.

(3) Sowing methods. There are many sowing methods for foxtail millet. The commonly used methods are drill seeding with a seed drill and machine sowing (row sowing and hole sowing).

(4) Sowing requirements. When using a seed drill or seeder, the seed must be spread evenly, with no missed sowing and no broken rows, and with consistent depth. After sowing, press the soil in time. For plots with severe spring drought and poor soil moisture, the number of pressings can be increased to improve the emergence rate.

4. Field management

(1) Seedling stage management. Do a good job of protecting seedlings, restraining seedling growth, thinning seedlings and weeding. Thin seedlings at the 3-leaf stage and set seedlings at the 5-leaf stage. For row sowing, plant spacing is 8-10 cm and row spacing is 18-20 cm; for hole sowing, plant spacing is 20 cm and row spacing is 20 cm, leaving 2-3 plants per hole, with 37,000-42,000 seedlings per mu. Combined with seedling thinning or setting, shallow intertillage and soil loosening should be carried out to restrain foxtail millet growth and promote strong seedlings, while weeding and preserving moisture. When setting seedlings, keep uniformly growing seedlings, keep strong seedlings and not weak ones, keep green seedlings and not yellow ones, and keep healthy seedlings and not diseased or pest-damaged ones. When thinning and setting seedlings of hybrid varieties, remove false hybrids.

(2) Jointing to heading stage. In late June, it enters the jointing stage. Combined with watering, carry out deep intertillage and apply 15 kg of urea per mu. At the booting stage, combined with watering, apply 20-25 kg of ternary compound fertilizer per mu, and carry out timely intertillage and weeding. In dry weather, carry out more intertillage. Intertillage can not only increase yield but also improve grain quality.

(3) Spraying herbicides. Special foxtail millet herbicides can be selected, which can remove common annual monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weeds in foxtail millet fields, such as crabgrass, barnyardgrass, foxtail, goosegrass, lambsquarters and so on, saving labor and effort. They can be sprayed on the soil surface after sowing and before emergence, or sprayed at the 3-5 leaf stage of foxtail millet seedlings before weeds emerge. Never use them when the seeds are pushing through the soil.

5. Pest and disease control

(1) The seedling stage and jointing to heading stage of foxtail millet are susceptible to damage by corn borers and underground pests. If there is pest damage, 50 ml of 5% phoxim per mu can be diluted with 40 kg of water and sprayed for control.

(2) From grain filling to maturity of foxtail millet, especially for early-maturing varieties, attention should be paid to preventing bird damage and lodging.

When the millet ears turn yellow, the grains harden, and the foxtail millet leaves turn yellow, it can be harvested. After harvesting, do not thresh immediately. Dry for 7-10 days before threshing, using after-ripening to increase yield.