Panicum sumatrense

Kutkihirse or Little millet ( Panicum sumatrense, syn. Panicum miliary auct non Lam.. ) Is a cereal crop and from the family of grasses ( Poaceae ).

Description

This cereal is similar in habit of millet but is smaller. It is an annual herbaceous plant that grows upright or bent blades and reaches heights of growth of 0.3 to 1 m. The leaves are linear, the spreading sometimes hairy, with membranous ligule - haired. The panicles are 4-15 cm long with 2 to 3.5 mm long awns. The caryopsis is round and smooth, brown, 1.8 to 1.9 mm long.

Subspecies

We have described two subspecies:

• Panicum Roth ex Roem sumatrense. & Schult. subsp. psilopodium ( Trin. ) Wet.
• Panicum Roth ex Roem sumatrense. & Schult. subsp. sumatrense

Occurrence

In the temperate zones of Asia, the Caucasus, China, East Asia as well as in the tropics of the continent: India, Indochina and Malaysia. The cultivation can range in India to 2000 m above sea level.

This cereal is grown in India and Sri Lanka on the poorest soils and tolerates drought as waterlogging equally well.

Cultivation and uses

Larger growing areas are in central India. Usually the plant is discharged into seed drilling. They can be if necessary also warped. The green plant is partially fed with the cattle. The straw is used in combination with clay or cement for construction purposes.

Grain yield: about 2.3 to 9 t / ha.

Preparations

The millet grains are cooked like rice. Sometimes the millet is also milled and baked. The protein content in the grain is 7.7 %.