Expanding Production Area & Alternative Energy Crop Market of Proso Millet for Water Deficient Lands

2009 DOT-RITA Seed Award

 

PI: Dr. Kevin Larson (Colorado State University, Plainsman Research Center)
Co-PI: Rick Kochenower (Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Panhandle Research and Extension Center)
Co-PI: Jeffrey Tranel (Colorado State University, Extension)

Funded: $62,421

Start Date: 7/1/2009

End Date: 6/30/2011

 

Expected Outcomes

1. Increased production of low water use proso millet as a bio-energy grain crop in non-traditional production areas. With its low water use requirements, proso millet could become the preferred grain crop in limited moisture areas, such as water-depleted, former CRP lands without disrupting the feed grain markets.
   
   
2. Ethanol plants utilizing proso millet as a feedstock will expand the market for proso millet without consumer concern about rising food cost associated with ethanol production from corn.