When the grain is threshed, most of the seed remains enclosed in the inner hull. Seed color varies, but is usually white, creamy white, yellow or red. It can also be shades of brown, gray or black. Proso millet is self-pollinated, but some outcrossing may occur when two varieties are planted side by side. The grain from Proso millet may be used as livestock feed or in birdseed mixtures.
Proso millet requires warm weather for germination and plant growth.
Proso millet is a very efficient user of soil water and grain yields have been obtained with only 6 inches of total water use. When planted on loamy soils, millet is usually rotated with fallow or wheat. On sandy soils, many growers do not summer fallow for millet. When drilling Proso millet, grain drills are almost always used, but when surface moisture is low, it may be necessary to plant deeper to place the seed in moist soil. However, the seed should not be covered by more than 1 inch of soil.