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
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.
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.