Chapter 1 - Introduction

Abstract

Millets and pseudo-cereals are crops of antiquity and have long history of cultivation. These crops occupy special niches under situations related to soil, water and nutrients stress. Millets are referred to any of the small-seeded cereals and forage grasses, which are used for food, feed or forage. Amaranths, buckwheat and chenopods are generally referred as pseudo-cereals and are important component of farming system in hills. These crops are recognized for their adaptation to wide spectrum of agro-ecological conditions and short growing season. Due to wide adaptability and availability of diverse germplasm in these crops, they promise to be highly climate resilient crops. Moreover, these crops have excellent nutritional value. Development of improved varieties in these crops has resulted in high yields in these crops and genomics advancements have led to the identification of novel genomic resources in some of these crops. Although the area under these crops is much less than the major cereal crops, there is an increasing recognition of their favourable nutrient composition and utility as health food, in the context of increasing life style diseases as well as climate resilient future crops. Thus, apart from their traditional role as a staple for the poor in the marginal agricultural regions, they are gaining a new role as nutritious healthy food crops for the urban high income people and important genetic resources for food and nutritional security in the era of climate change.