South Korea's Rural Development Administration (RDA) has developed a new late-maturing pearl millet variety named 'Manon' to improve forage production in rice paddies during the summer. The new variety completes a breeding portfolio that now includes early-, mid-, and late-maturing pearl millet cultivars, giving farmers greater flexibility in selecting varieties suited to different growing conditions.

Pearl millet has emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional summer forage crops such as sorghum and forage maize because of its superior tolerance to high temperatures and excessive soil moisture. These characteristics make it particularly suitable for paddy fields that experience poor drainage during the rainy season, helping reduce crop losses caused by flooding and heavy monsoon rains.

To support adoption, the RDA has also released cultivation guidelines covering recommended sowing periods, seeding rates, harvesting practices, and storage techniques. The guidance includes recommendations for producing haylage and hay, as well as optimized plastic wrapping methods that can reduce plastic consumption by up to 40%, lowering storage and production costs.

The agency highlighted the economic advantages of integrating pearl millet with winter forage crops such as Italian ryegrass in a double-cropping system. According to its analysis, this approach can increase net farm profits by about 23% compared with conventional rice-based systems while reducing dependence on imported feed. Eligible farmers may also receive government support of up to 7 million won per hectare under South Korea's strategic crop direct payment programme.