Proso Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) Breeding, Genetics, Genomics and Uses.

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.), is the best adapted rotational crop in most dryland production areas in the semiarid central High Plains of the USA because of the highest water use efficiency among all cereal crops and short growing season. It was domesticated as a staple food 10,000 years ago in Northern China. However, its US production is restricted due to limited market in birdseed industry. It is gluten-free, non-GMO and rich in protein, minerals, dietary fiber, and vitamins, which make it desirable for human food. Current market value of the US proso millet is $50 million. Genetic improvement, genomic resources and genetic research of this crop are limited. Reports on alternative uses of proso millet in the country is limited. The presentation will provide brief overview of proso millet research in the USA on (1) genetic improvement, (2) genomics, and (3) food and non-food uses. In addition to several non-waxy cultivars for traditional birdseed industry, the first waxy (amylose-free starch) proso millet cultivar ‘Plateau’ was developed specifically for human food uses. We reported 350 new DNA markers, first genetic linkage map and QTL mapping in proso millet, and cluster analysis of the US proso millet germplasm based on DNA-markers and phenotype traits. We have shown use of proso millet in ethanol fermentation, which may be used either for industrial or beverages and extruded flour with high expansion and antioxidant activity. Preliminary data indicated that proso millet can be used also in producing gluten-free spaghetti and novel non-food uses. We expect that current proso millet research in the USA will lead to (1) genomics-assisted cultivars for multiple uses, (2) further genetic analysis, (3) food and non-food uses of proso millet. All these will expand proso millet market, value and production in the USA.