'Sunup'
White Proso Millet
Panicum miliaceum (L.)
85 to 95 days — 'Sunup' white proso millet is intermediate in stature reaching about fifty inches in height, developing compact, and productive seed heads. It germinates quickly, usually within a week, and begins heading as early as twenty-one days. Its seeds are beautifully shiny and white in color.
Although proso millets are one of the oldest cultivated cereal crops and used as food around the world, it is primarily grown in the United States as animal forage and fodder, as well as commercially for its seeds, which are attractive to dove, quail, turkey, and popular for use in exotic bird feed.
'Sunup' white proso millet was developed as a stabilized cross between 'Rise' and 'Dawn' proso millets made in 1979 by Lenis Alton Nelson at Nebraska's Panhandle Research and Extension Center. 'Sunup' has larger seeds and is higher yielding than 'Rise' as well as growing a few inches taller and heading a few days earlier. Sunup varies somewhat in height, head type (mainly compact) and seed color, but does not contain red seed.[1] It was officially introduced in 1989.[2]
For best results sow seeds in the Spring, after all danger of frost has passed, in well drained soils. Seed may be broadcast sown if soil remains damp, or otherwise sow one-quarter to one-half of an inch deep in the soil. USDA accession number PI 536011. Each gram is approximately 150 seeds.
