Millet

Millet is a general term for a wide range of small seeded cereals. The millets of the Poaceae (Gramineae) are small seeded annual grasses, including a wide range of cereals, that may be used both as grain and for forage. Millets can be successfully grown in a wide range of environmental conditions, being better adapted than most crops to hot, dry regions. They are of potential value particularly in semiarid regions because of their short growing seasons. They can either tolerate drought and intense heat or avoid these conditions by growing to maturity very quickly. The millets can play an important role in the economy of many less-developed countries of the Old World because they are consumed directly for human food. However, the millets in the western world are grown primarily for birdseed, livestock feed, hay, or as an emergency catch crop.