Traditional maintenance and multiplication of foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) landraces in China

Summary Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. P. Beauv.) has been one of the most important cereals in northern China. A large number of landraces have formed under natural and man-made selection since domestication. Farmers in China have developed various traditional methods of maintenance and multiplication of foxtail millet seeds for next generation. Panicle selection was often done in fields. The selected seeds were generally stored at dry places. Archaeological and historical evidence of the origin of foxtail millet in China and the geographical distribution of landraces is also presented.