In the frame of a Life-CCA EU project, called Growing REsilience AgriculTure-Life (GREAT LIFE), aim of this work is to encode phenology of Proso Millet using BBCH scale. Millet used to be cultivated in ancient times in Italy, but then it was abandoned in favor of Maize, so now it is necessary to re-define proper agricultural practices and managements, as well as to remedy to the lack of an exact description of its phenological development. Moreover, Proso Millet has a very short cycle, and may be used as a catch crop, when other crops have failed or after their harvest. In this framework, Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) may be an interesting alternative, as it is a relatively low-demanding crop, highly drought-resistant, and can be employed, similarly to Sorghum, in rotation, maintaining a certain amount of biodiversity and contributing to the revenue for the farmers. Climate change effects are accompanied by the increase in the presence of mycotoxins and various pathogens, which contribute to the reduction of the possibility of successfully producing Maize. Furthermore, the possibility of producing grain while saving water (and other production inputs), even in very hot and dry years, increases the sustainability of agricultural production and the resilience of agroecosystems.Īs a result of climate change, causing high temperature, erratic precipitation, and extreme meteorological events, in recent times in Italy productivity of Maize is becoming less reliable. Moreover, the shortness of the proso millet life cycle (on average 108 days) allows it to be used as a catch crop in the event of major crop failure, an event becoming more likely in the climate change scenario. Proso millet, therefore, seems to offer interesting traits for reintroduction on the European side of the Mediterranean Basin, representing a resource for farmers. Despite such different conditions from an agro-meteorological point of view, proso millet showed, in non-irrigated conditions, stable yield and water use efficiency (on average 0.30 kg/m2 and 1.83 kg/m3, respectively), and good agronomic performance. All years of experimentation were characterized by adverse meteorological trends, in the full manifestation of the uncertainties of climate change. It was compared to a conventional irrigated corn, a typical summer cereal of the area. A three-year field crop experiment was conducted in northern Italy to assess proso millet’s performance in terms of productivity and water status in rainfed agriculture conditions. Limited water-demanding crops and yield stability can contribute to the resilience of agroecosystems and their adaptation to climate change. The aim of this study was to characterize proso millet adaptability to drought and low-input field conditions in the Mediterranean environment, especially considering water-related traits, such as water use efficiency. From this perspective, proso millet re-introduction could represent an interesting tool in reducing water consumption for grain production and in providing a new resource to farmers. Considering that a trend of increasing drought severity is expected in the future in Southern Europe, solutions need to be found to enhance the resilience of agroecosystems to the effects of climate change. Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a cereal well known for its ability to be successfully grown under drought and intense heat conditions, thus sustaining food security in arid regions.
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