Experiments in the 1960 to 1970 time period in Nebraska and the Central Great Plains Research Stations suggest that proso may respond to fertilization when wheat and barley respond. In other tests, dry matter yields increased with adequate moisture, but grain yields did not when 30 to 50 lbs of nitrogen were added. Economic fertilizer responses are expected to occur at an increasing rate as yields improve. It is suggested that 20 to 50 pounds of nitrogen be added under dryland conditions. With added irrigation, nitrogen application rates of 100 lbs per acre may be acceptable for forage production.
Soil testing is recommended to determine the needs of millet on a field by field basis.
Pest Control Pearl millet is tolerant of some herbicides but none is registered for this use. Very few Insects or diseases have been observed on pearl millet in Colorado. Some diseases observed elsewhere in the United States include various leaf spots and smuts caused by Helminthosporium sp., Pseudomonas and Ustilago . These diseases do not currently appear in economic outbreaks. Field maturity generally is delayed because of late tillers.