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Diversity and Cultivation of Broomcorn Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) in China: A Review

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Abstract

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is a minor crop within the same genus as the bioenergy crop switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). It is one of the oldest cultivated crops and it plays important roles in both food and culture in China. Its wide distribution and long history of cultivation have led to the accumulation of abundant genetic resources. Here, we introduce briefly the history and related culture of the crop and review the diversity of the crop for agronomic traits among the germplasm collections in China and recent developments in genetic diversity analysis. It will be helpful for facilitating further research on broomcorn millet.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31271791) and Research Project Supported by Shanxi Scholarship Council of China (2016-066) to RYW, the Bairen Program (YHH), and the Special Program of Modern Agro-industry Technology System (CARS-07-13.5-A12) and the Key Research & Development Program (General Project) (Agriculture) of Shanxi Province in China (201603D221003-5) to ZJQ. The authors are thankful to Xinxin An, College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, for his help with data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, 030801, People’s Republic of China

    Ruiyun Wang & Yuanhuai Han

  2. Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement on Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Shanxi Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Genetic Improvement of Minor Crops, Institute of Crop Germplasms Resources of Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030031, People’s Republic of China

    Ruiyun Wang, Zhijun Qiao, Lun Wang & Yuanhuai Han

  3. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3ER, UK

    Harriet V. Hunt

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  1. Ruiyun Wang
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Wang, R., Hunt, H.V., Qiao, Z. et al. Diversity and Cultivation of Broomcorn Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) in China: A Review. Econ Bot 70, 332–342 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-016-9357-8

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