foxtail millet(தினை)

Foxtail millet is the third largest crop among the millets, cultivated for food in semi-arid tropics of Asia and as forage in Europe, North America, Australia, and North Africa. Foxtail or Italian millet may well have unrealized potential for grain production. It forms a slender, erect, leafy stem varying in height from 1-5 feet. Seeds are borne in a spike-like, compressed panicle resembling yellow foxtail, green foxtail, or giant foxtail. The grains are very similar to paddy rice in grain structure. They contain an outer husk, which needs to be removed in order to be used. The Chinese claim exceptionally high yields sometimes exceeding 11,000 kg per ha. It is drought - resistant, grows at higher elevations (up to 600 feet) and is frequently sown as an alternate crop with sorghum on black cotton soils when rainfall is deficient. It also grows well on loamy or alluvial and clayey soils. China grows most of the world’s crop, but some Italian millet is grown in India, Japan, and Russia. In the USA. it is largely sown for fodder.

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