Foxtail Millet Seed Curator Perspective

The US National Plant Germplasm Collection has 764 accessions of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) housed here at the National Plant Germplasm station in Ames, Iowa. Our accessions originated in many countries, but mostly India, Taiwan, China, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Hungary. Most can mature seeds here in the field, but some are too late flowering for this climate.

The observation data on the GRIN online database is mixed with the other species of Setaria.  https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/crop?id=225

The wild and weedy Setaria viridis (204 accessions) is closely related to foxtail millet and is crossing compatible. We also have a substantial collection, 78 accessions of the tropical forage Setaria sphacelata.

Some foxtail millet examples with pictures:

The moharia type with many stems and small heads. PI 222832  https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail?id=1180090

The maxima type with few stems and large drooping heads. PI 436642  https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail?id=1331578

An odd type from Taiwan with erect foliage. PI 433444  https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/ImgDisplay?id=1328380

The most important foxtail millet cultivar in the United States is 'White Wonder'.  It is grown for seeds in the High Plains south of Interstate Highway 80. The seeds are planted in Texas and similar latitudes as a summer annual fodder crop.

If you are looking for something else in foxtail millet you can ask me, and we may have it. I am curious about what people are looking for. The seeds are intended for research and development, including commercial development so we want requests.

I grow about 80 accessions in the field each year to get observation data and eventually have field notes and images for the entire foxtail collection.

David Brenner                                                                                   David.Brenner@USDA.GOV

                                                                                                                        Or: dbrenner@iastate.edu

 

Plant Introduction Station                                                      phone 515-294-6786

Iowa State University                                                                          

716 Farm House Lane, Ames, IA  50011-1051                

USA  

 

https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/search.aspx?

Curator of: Amaranthus, Celosia, Chenopodium, Coronilla, Dalea, Galega, Melilotus, Perilla, Portulaca, Spinacia, miscellaneous Umbelliferae, and the millets: Echinochloa, Panicum, and Setaria.

Hatch Act NC7 Regional Project in the US National Plant Germplasm System