Graduate Studies, UNL

 

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

First Advisor

Dipak Santra

Second Advisor

Christopher Gustafson

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Bijesh Maharjan, James Schnable, Sheila Purdum

Department

Agronomy

Date of this Version

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Major: Agronomy

Under the supervision of Professor

Lincoln, Nebraska, December 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, the author. Used by permission

Abstract

Dryland crop production in Nebraska's semi-arid High Plains faces challenges from fluctuating weather impacts of climate change, including extreme temperatures, short growing seasons, and recurring droughts. Proso millet is an alternative crop used to build a more robust three-year rotation in the region, rather than the traditional two-year wheat-fallow cycle. This dissertation provides a systems-level assessment of proso millet, a climate-resilient crop with great potential to support sustainable cropping systems in the US High Plains. Using a field-to-consumer approach, it highlights its agronomic and environmental advantages in dryland rotations, develops a phenological framework to aid future research on production, crop modeling, and breeding, and explores advertising as a marketing strategy to promote broader adoption of this alternative grain in the US.

Chapter 1 examines crop rotation data from Nebraska’s High Plains Agricultural Laboratory to compare wheat–millet–fallow with wheat–corn–fallow systems in western Nebraska. Results show that overall, millet-based rotation provides greater resilience than corn, mainly through lower nitrogen requirements, decreased N2O emissions, and more consistent performance during stress years.

Chapter 2 investigates the phenological growth stages (using Zadok’s scale) and the cumulative growing degree-day (CGDD) requirements of proso millet in western Nebraska. The results indicate that the total thermal requirement for proso millet’s full growth cycle is approximately 1950 GDD. Under current growing conditions, proso millet also needs higher CGDD for stem elongation and anthesis than previously reported.

Chapter 3 explores consumer acceptance of alternative grains (AG), including millet, in the US through a nationwide survey. Results show that advertising, highlighting the nutritional and environmental benefits of these grains, significantly increases the likelihood that consumers choose AG-containing products.

Collectively, these chapters offer a comprehensive assessment of proso millet from the field to the consumer and demonstrate its agronomic, environmental, and market potential in the US. This research provides evidence that proso millet is a promising climate-smart crop with strong potential to support sustainable food and feed systems in the High Plains.

Advisors: Dipak Santra and Christopher Gustafson

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