Early maturing varieties are necessary. Plants must mature in 110-120 days. Plants are indeterminate in nature and will continue to tiller until they grow old and die. Pearl millet is extremely drought-hardy and grows best under dryland conditions in Colorado. Pearl millet does not contain high levels of prussic acid or tannins.
Hybrids are available as well as open pollinated and synthetic varieties.
Pearl millet is primarily grown for grain production but may be suitable for forage. Pearl millet, Pennisetum americanum , is a relative newcomer to Colorado. It comes from tropical, arid regions and is a distant relative of grain sorghum. Crosses between the two species have been reported. Pearl millet is a common grain in the semiarid areas of Africa south of the Sahara.