babala, noun

Origin:
Southern SothoShow more Adaptation of Southern Sotho baballa to provide with.
Any of several species of millet, especially Pennisetum glaneum, P. typhoideum, or P. americanum. Also attributive.
1929 Farming in S. Afr. Oct. 324 (Swart)It is his opinion that December is quite early enough for even such varieties as ‘Potchefstroom Paarl’, and February for..sorgum (soetriet), and the different varieties of manna, ‘babala’ for instance.
1956 Off. Yr Bk of Union No. 28, 1954–55 (Bureau of Census & Statistics) 520N’Yati or Babala (Cattail millet) is grown by the Natives as a grain, and is used for porridge meal as well as for malt for the brewing of kaffir-beer.
1968 Farmer’s Weekly 3 Jan. 89Babala seed. Machine-cleaned, free from all foreign matter, at R2.35 per 100lb.
1975 Informant, Dohne, Eastern CapeBabala (known in the U.S. as Pearl millet, also called Cattail millet, Bullrush millet, candle millet and Penicillaria..) is of unknown origin but has been grown in Asia and Africa since prehistoric times.
1988 R. Billet in Farmer’s Weekly 1 Jan. 7Bana, a vigorous-growing and drought-resistant grass (said to be a cross of babala and Napier), is grown on 85 ha, and Red Top Candy (a sorghum) and babala on 150 ha.
Any of several species of millet, especially Pennisetum glaneum, P. typhoideum, or P. americanum. Also attributive.
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19291988