Problems and Prospects in Modeling Pearl Millet Growth and Development: A Suggested Framework for a Millet Model

Physical environment plays an important role in determining crop duration, water availability, the occurrence of pests and diseases, and thereby the ultimate yield. Knowledge of the influence of environmental factors on pearl millet growth and development will thus be helpful in devising the means to increase and stabilize pearl millet production. Simulation modeling is an effective approach to integrating various processes involved in crop growth and development. Currently no simulation mon'elforpearl millet is available in the literature, but because of the similarity in some of the growth and development processes between pearl millet and sorghum, the suitability of adapting certain subroutines of the existing sorghum model (SORGF) is examined. The difficulty in modeling the tillering habit of pearl millet is recognized. However, the effects of temperature and daylength on the duration of growth stages and tillering habit of the selected pearl millet genotypes are discussed. The total dry matter computed from the amount of light intercepted by the canopy, andpartitioning of dry matter to different plant parts are dealt with. Based on the available information, a framework for developing a pearl millet model is suggested