Figure 1. Pearl millet cultivation in Niger.

Pearl millet is planted at the beginning of the rainy season after a major rainfall (a). Different traditional varieties exist in Niger and have different flowering phenotypes (b) from early flowering (b, left), to late flowering (b, right). Pearl millet is generally harvested in September or October in Niger (c), bundles of pearl millet spikes are stored in granaries during the dry season (c, d). After harvest, farmers often select the best spike to use as seed in the following planting year (e). Photo by Y. Vigouroux and C. Mariac.