**2. Materials and Methods**

### *2.1. Location and Field Preparation*

This forage pearl millet study was conducted during the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons at West Texas A&M University Nance Ranch near Canyon, TX (34◦58 6" N, 101◦47 16" W; 1097 m above sea level elevation) located on Olton clay loam (fine, mixed, superactive, thermic, Aridic Paleustoll). Treatments were arranged as strip-split-plots with four replications with irrigation as main plots, row spacing as subplots, and tillage as sub-subplots.

The plot area was prepared for planting in 2016 by first a using a rotary mower to reduce native perennial grasses, which had established in an unused portion of the field, and application of Roundup© PowerMax™ (Monsanto, St. Louis, MO, USA) herbicide at 9.5 L ha on 31 May 2016. The field was further prepared in 2016 by applying 88 mm of preplant irrigation through drip tape (system described below) to increase the ease of mechanical tillage. In 2017, pearl millet was planted following winter wheat sown in October 2016 terminated in March using Roundup© PowerMax™ herbicide at the same 2016 application rate. In both years, tilled plots were cultivated 20 cm depth using a CountyLine rotary tiller (King Kutter, Inc., Winfield, AL 35594, USA) the day of planting. 'Graze King' BMR pearl millet (176,405 seeds kg−1, 85% germination, 98% purity) was planted on 17 June 2016. Seed used in 2017 was procured from Winfield United (Shoreview, MN 55126, USA) (116,280 seeds kg−1, 85% germination, 98% purity). Sowing utilized a Great Plains 3P500 grain drill (Great Plains Mfg., Inc., Salina, KS, USA). The 3.05 <sup>×</sup> 6.1 m plots were seeded at 125 seeds m−<sup>2</sup> and 95 seeds m−<sup>2</sup> in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Plot width being 3.05 m, we accommodated 16 rows and 4 rows in 19 and 76 cm row spacing treatments, respectively. Different seeding rates were the result of different seed sizes and planter limitation to accommodate the small seed size at the same rate for both years.
