Finger Millet Research Articles

Agronomic biofortification of finger millet for zinc, and its influence on yield and partitioning of zinc, iron, and calcium in the plant

Zinc (Zn) deficiency in humans is the most common, and zinc requirement is catered mainly by cereal food grains which have lower zinc content. Finger millet is one of the staple food crops in Africa and India and has only 25 to 30 µg Zn g−1 of grain. Breeding efforts have improved the grain-Zn content to nearly 40 µg g−1 of grain, which is far below the recommended dietary allowance of 15 mg day−1 adult−1, and such varieties are not suited to all the finger millet cultivation regions. Therefore, the objective of the present studies is to enhance the grain-Zn content of locally adapted varieties through agronomic biofortification, which can be adapted for any variety and region. The easy, promising, and cost-effective approach is the soil or foliar application of zinc to increase the grain-Zn content. Present studies over four years revealed that the foliar application of 0.5% ZnSO4·7H2O solution at flowering and 20 days after flowering (DAF) is apt to increase the grain-Zn significantly to 40 µg g−1 of grain. Whereas the soil application of ZnSO4·7H2O at 12.5 kg ha−1 is appropriate to increase the grain yield to 504 g m−2 from 444 g m−2 in the control. The partitioning of zinc and calcium was higher toward the leaf sheath, leaf lamina, and husk than the other plant parts, whereas iron was toward the root. Therefore, the translocation of zinc from leaves to grain needs to be improved for further increase in grain-zinc of finger millet.

On Farm Performance of Finger Millet Varieties in Dera District of South Gondar Zone

Finger millet is an important food security crop and beneficial for human health. This study aimed to evaluate the on farm performance of the finger millet varieties in Dera district. The study took place in Korata Kebele and assessed grain yield and farmer feedback. The performance differences between the Necho variety (the demonstrated variety) and the farmers' variety were evaluated. Recent 10 years' grain yield data from the Dera district agriculture office was used to analyze the growth rates of area coverage, production, and productivity in the district using the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR). Furthermore, the performance of the Necho variety was compared to its potential and farmer variety using the technology gap, extension gap, and technology index. From 2014 to 2018, the annual growth rate of area coverage and productivity in Dera district declined by 1.6% and 1.7% per year, respectively. Moreover, from 2019 to 2023, the average annual growth rate of area coverage, production, and productivity decreased by 0.75%, 2.6%, and 3.4% per year, respectively. The technology index for the Necho variety in the production seasons of 2021, 2022, and 2023 was -4%, 16%, and 36%, respectively. The higher value in the 2023 season indicated a decline in the performance of the Necho variety compared to the farmer variety. This decline was attributed to the occurrence of blast disease. To address this issue, it is recommended to practice early planting and use recommended fungicides (Natura 250EW and Tilt 250EC). The district agriculture office must ensure easy accessibility of these fungicides in the market for farmers to utilize.

Protein research in millets: current status and way forward.

Millets' protein studies are lagging behind those of major cereals. Current status and future insights into the investigation of millet proteins are discussed. Millets are important small-seeded cereals majorly grown and consumed by people in Asia and Africa and are considered crops of future food security. Although millets possess excellent climate resilience and nutrient supplementation properties, their research advancements have been lagging behind major cereals. Although considerable genomic resources have been developed in recent years, research on millet proteins and proteomes is currently limited, highlighting a need for further investigation in this area. This review provides the current status of protein research in millets and provides insights to understand protein responses for climate resilience and nutrient supplementation in millets. The reference proteome data is available for sorghum, foxtail millet, and proso millet to date; other millets, such as pearl millet, finger millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet, tef, and browntop millet, do not have any reference proteome data. Many studies were reported on stress-responsive protein identification in foxtail millet, with most studies on the identification of proteins under drought-stress conditions. Pearl millet has a few reports on protein identification under drought and saline stress. Finger millet is the only other millet to have a report on stress-responsive (drought) protein identification in the leaf. For protein localization studies, foxtail millet has a few reports. Sorghum has the highest number of 40 experimentally proven crystal structures, and other millets have fewer or no experimentally proven structures. Further proteomics studies will help dissect the specific proteins involved in climate resilience and nutrient supplementation and aid in breeding better crops to conserve food security.

Enhancement of structural and functional characteristics of millet flours using non-equilibrium cold plasma

The effect of non-equilibrium cold plasma (NECP) treatment on functional and nutritional properties of finger millet flour was investigated. Finger millet flour was treated at two different exposure times for 5 min and 10 min, and functional and nutritional properties such as Water and oil holding capacity, water binding capacity, color, and dispersibility of the control and plasma treated flour were studied. There was no significant difference in the color intensity and the whitening index (WI) with the treatment. The functional properties such as water holding capacity (WHC), oil absorption capacity (OAC), foaming and emulsifying capacity have shown significant increment with treatment time. FTIR and DSC results depicted the depolymerization of starch in the treated flour. Plasma treatment was observed to enhance the functional properties of the finger millet flour, whilst the physical properties remained unchanged. Overall plasma treatment can be explored for development of a process to enhance functionality of finger millet flour for applications in food systems. There remains plenty of scope for commercial level expansion.

“Panampaniyaaram”: A Traditional Food Product Made with SmallMillet for Revitalization towards Sustainable Nutrition

performed by panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale were used to assess nineteen treatments on different mixtures by altering the flour types and their percentages in four levels, with palmyrah pulp and small-millet flours, including finger millet, little millet, and Foxtail millet. The sample prepared from 100% finger millet flour was chosen as the most preferred sample, based on the results obtained from the sensory evaluations. Physicochemical analysis of the selected treatment revealed that pH was 5.86±0.01 and the total ash content 1.38±0.18 g/100 g was significantly (p<0.05) higher, and crude fat content 9.04±0.02 g/100 g, total salt content 0.201±0.026 g/100 g, and total sugar content 16.38 g/100g, was significantly (p<0.05) less than that of the control sample which contained wheat flour. The selected treatment of the mineral content was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the control treatment and contained Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, and Potassium were 150, 60, 32.7 and 76.8 mg/100 g, respectively. In summary, palmyrah fruit pulp and finger millet can be used to create healthy, nutritional and affordable natural snacks “panampaniyaaram”, which will satisfy consumer preferences. Further studies are required to understand the developed product's organoleptic properties, antioxidant, vitamins, and anti-microbial activities as well as ways to extend its shelf-life. Keywords: Panampaniyaaram, palmyrah pulp, small-millets, finger millet, value-addition

Minor Millets: Miracle Grain of South India

Minor millets are important traditional food crops for dry land farmers in India. India has the third largest area under minor millets cultivation in the world. Minor millets such as finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, kodo millet, little millet and barnyard millet are considered as a climate-smart crop. Since these crops are widely divergent for thermo and photoperiods and hence these are known for their climatic resilience and are relatively less prone to biotic stress factors. Added these crops are rich in protein, fat, crude fiber, iron and other minerals and vitamins with low glycemic index in comparison to cereals like wheat and rice. Hence they are labelled as nutri- cereals and act as the source of food, feed and fodder. Minor millets have curative and nutrient - rich properties in the form of antioxidants which prevent weakening of human health such as lowering blood pressure, risk of heart disease, obesity, prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes etc. Owing to its health benefits, the minor millets output has increased recently due to the availability of high-yielding varieties, pest and disease - resistant varieties, and improved cultivation techniques, rising by 1.05 percent annually. This review aims to document the production status, demand, varietal diversity, current consumption pattern, processing, nutrient composition and therapeutic potential of minor millets for further research on various aspects.

Solid Formulation of <em>Trichoderma virens</em> for the Management of Banana Anthracnose Caused by<em> Colletotrichum musae</em>

Trichoderma spp. widely used as biocontrol agents for controllin g a wide range of plant diseases. Banana anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum musae is a prominent, widely distributed postharvest disease. This study was carried ou t to assess the effectiveness of locally isolated Trichoderma virens against C. musae and the mass producti on of T. virens using locally available, low-cost solid substrates. T. virens was tested for the inhibition of C. musae isolate in -vitro and in-vivo by dual plating and inoculating into two varieties of ripened banana: Kolikuttu and Cavendish, respectively. For mass production, T. virens was inoculated into different solid substrates including scraped coconut waste, sawdust, tea waste, seeds from rice, finger millet, and maize, dried pieces of water hyacinth plant, paddy straw, and Panicum maximum leaves; regularly taken spore co unts (cfu/g) and checked for viability by plating after 12 weeks of storage. The pathogen inhibition percentag e by T. virens was 74.10%. Disease severity was 0% in Kolikuttu and 19% in Cavendish after 5 days of T. virens spore appli cation (1x107 spores/ml). Significantly higher (p≤0.05) mean spore production resulted in rice seeds (9.345x109 spores/g) compared to the other substrates and the least resulted in sawdust (1.808x109 spores/g) at the 8th week after T. virens inoculation. Spores of T. virens were viable in all the tested substrates throughout the study period. The results conclude that T. virens is capable of controlling banana anthracnose and can be efficiently mass-produced by using rice seeds, dried pieces of P. maximum leaves, and f inger millet seeds as substrates.

Crop growth and productivity of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) influenced by organic nutrient sources under Guni method of cultivation

Crop growth and productivity of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) influenced by organic nutrient sources under Guni method of cultivation

Nutritional and therapeutic potential of finger millet

Nutritional and therapeutic potential of finger millet

Studies on organic source of nutrients on yield attributes and productivity of finger millet in finger millet-groundnut cropping sequence

Studies on organic source of nutrients on yield attributes and productivity of finger millet in finger millet-groundnut cropping sequence

Characterisation of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) starch isolated by conventional and ultrasound‐assisted starch isolation methods

SummaryStarch is a versatile biomaterial with a wide range of applications across various industrial sectors. Therefore, starch isolation methods play a crucial role in fulfilling the demand for high‐quality starch required for different applications. Waxy maize starch is the most used starch for different food applications. It is isolated using an alkaline extraction method and available in the market at a high price. The traditional process of starch isolation involves labour‐intensive and costly downstream processing that leads to exploring cost‐effective isolation methods for various food applications. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an underutilised cereal crop composed of 65–70% of starch. In the present study, the starch from finger millet is isolated using conventional and ultrasound‐assisted isolation methods to fulfil the current requirement. The isolated finger millet starch was characterised by morphological structure obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffractogram (XRD), infrared spectrum obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT‐IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, and rheological analysis. The SEM images confirmed the reduced particle size and uniform grain size distribution in the starch isolated using ultrasound‐assisted isolation. The relative crystallinity of starch isolated using ultrasound‐assisted isolation method (69.05 ± 0.57%) was higher compared to other conventional isolation methods (57.18 ± 0.70%, 67.66 ± 1.00%, and 68.34 ± 0.33% for distilled water soaking, alkali soaking, and sodium bisulphite soaking, respectively). The FTIR analysis confirmed no significant changes in the functional group of starch with respect to different isolation methods. Thermal and rheological analysis of isolated starch using ultrasound‐assisted isolation indicated the lowest gelatinisation enthalpy (45.38 ± 1.67 J/g) and showed the lowest loss factor indicating the most elastic behaviour, respectively.

Effect of halo priming on germination and growth parameters of finger millet, little millet, and barnyard millet under osmotic stress

Seed priming has gained attention as a sustainable approach to improve crop performance. Halopriming, in particular, has shown promise in enhancing germination, growth, and stress tolerance. This study aimed to assess the effect of halopriming on the growth of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) variety CO(Ra) 15, little millet (Panicum sumatrense) variety ATL 1, and barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) variety CO(KV) 2 in osmotic conditions. The experiment used different salt solutions with 0, 1, and 1.8 g/L NaCl concentrations. In Hp1 (halo priming 1) finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15, 100% seed germination was observed in normal conditions. In Hp2, the little millet variety ATL 1 has shown 100% seed germination under osmotic stress with a concentration of 1 g/L NaCl (S1). In Hp1, barnyard millet variety CO(KV)2 showed 100% seed germination under osmotic stress with a concentration of 1.8 g/L NaCl (S2). Various growth parameters were recorded, and results showed that the barnyard millet variety Co (KV)2 and the little millet variety ATL 1, both under the Hp1 category, demonstrated the longest shoot lengths of 7.3 cm and 5.85 cm respectively under salt stress (S1). Furthermore, In Hp 1 finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15 recorded the highest root length of 12.25 under salt stress (S2). Vigour Index showed that Hp1 showed positive results regarding the germination percentage and seedling growth of finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15 and little millet variety ATL 1. This study suggested halopriming is an effective technique for promoting sustainable agriculture, especially in areas affected by salinity stress.

Response of Intercropping Finger Millet on Growth and Yield of Pulses

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season in Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.) India. The current research aims to evaluate the growth and yield of various pulses namely cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), black gram (Vigna mungo L.) and green gram (Vigna radiata L.) and when cultivated as intercrops with finger millet. The soil of the experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.6), low in organic carbon (0.51 %), available N (78.9 kg/ha), available P (32.88 kg/ha) and available K (385.10 kg/ha). The treatments consisted of 3 pulse crops (Cowpea, Black gram and green gram) and 3 row ratios (2:1, 4:1 and 6:1). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with 13 treatments and replicated thrice. Maximum plant height and yield attributes was recorded in sole plots of cowpea (treatment 11), Black gram (treatment 12) and Green gram (treatment 13) respectively. Finger millet equivalent yield was recorded high in (treatment 7) where finger millet was intercropped with green gram in 2:1 ratio.

Development and Assessment of a Nutritional Supplement Formulation for Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes, a major global health issue, affects 424.9 million people worldwide, with a significant portion undiagnosed, leading to severe health and economic impacts. Effective management of diabetes includes dietary interventions, among which nutraceuticals play a crucial role. Nutraceuticals are food-derived compounds that offer health benefits, including disease prevention and treatment. This study focuses on the development of an antidiabetic nutraceutical instant soup powder formulated with ingredients like fenugreek seed, finger millet, tomato, curry leaves, garlic, black pepper, black salt, stevia, and oyster mushrooms.The raw materials were sourced from local markets and processed to create a fine powder mix. The soup powder’s physicochemical parameters, including pH, viscosity, moisture content, and ash levels, were measured. Nutritional analysis, sensory evaluation, and heavy metal content determination were conducted following standard protocols. The soup powder exhibited significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties, demonstrating potential as a dietary supplement for diabetes management. The sensory evaluation indicated high acceptability among the panelists, highlighting the product’s feasibility for consumer use.

Nutritional Advantages and Opportunities for Its Processing of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L.): A Comprehensive Review

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) stands out as a highly nutritious yet underutilized grain among the millets. Despite its substantial health benefits, finger millet remains one of the least consumed foods globally. With the world's population growing at an unprecedented rate, addressing food security and malnutrition is a critical challenge. UNICEF reports indicate that nearly 2 billion people suffer from hidden hunger, and one in five children under five years old experience stunted growth due to malnutrition. Finger millet offers a promising solution to these issues due to its rich nutritional profile, which surpasses that of many common cereals. This review comprehensively examines the nutritional advantages of finger millet, highlighting its high content of calcium, iron, dietary fiber, and essential amino acids. Additionally, finger millet is a rich source of antioxidants and has a low glycemic index, making it beneficial for managing diabetes and other metabolic disorders. The review also explores various opportunities for processing finger millet to enhance its appeal and consumption. Processing techniques such as malting, fermentation, and extrusion can improve the bioavailability of nutrients and create diverse, palatable food products. By leveraging modern processing technologies, finger millet can be transformed into a staple food that addresses nutritional deficiencies and contributes to global food security. This review aims to underscore the importance of finger millet in combating malnutrition and promoting sustainable food systems. Increased awareness and research into finger millet's nutritional benefits and processing opportunities can pave the way for its broader adoption and integration into daily diets, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes worldwide.

Functional genomic regions associated with blast disease resistance in rice predicted syntenic orthologs and potential resistance gene candidates from diverse cereal genomes

Blast disease is a major production constraint in cereal crops worldwide. Genome regions associated with blast resistance in rice were used in homology-based prediction of resistance gene orthologs across cereals. Seventy-four Resistance Gene Analogs (RGAs) that were collocated with rice QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci) associated with blast resistance, predicted 89 orthologs from cereals,including 61 from finger millet. The RGA orthologs found hits in cereal transcriptomes derived from blast-infected tissues. Over 92% of the putative RGAs encoded NBS-LRR (Nucleotide Binding Site -Leucine Rich Repeat) proteins. Despite conserved primary protein structures, NBS-LRRs were variable in the encoding genes. Primers designed on conserved NBS-LRRs motifs amplified multiple fragments in PCR indicating the presence of highly similar paralogs in genomes. Rice chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 6, and 11 dock clusters of RGAs and syntenic clusters of orthologous RGAs were predicted from other cereal genomes identifying genome hotspots for resistance gene cassettes. RGAs in such cassettes were tightly linked with 50 %–90 % within-cluster similarity. Local finger millet germplasm identified multi-modes of resistance, and lack of correlation between the resistance traits points to independent expression of resistance mechanisms and associated genes in different tissues and development stages. The significant diversity, genomic abundance, and potential functional redundancy complicate use of RGAs for resistance breeding in given host genetic backgrounds, pathogen pools and agro-climates; therefore, robust technology pipelines that enable system-level analysis of expression and effectiveness can increase the practical use of RGAs.

Drought resistance strategies in minor millets: a review.

The review discusses growth and drought-response mechanisms in minor millets under three themes: drought escape, drought avoidance and drought tolerance. Drought is one of the most prominent abiotic stresses impacting plant growth, performance, and productivity. In the context of climate change, the prevalence and severity of drought is expected to increase in many agricultural regions worldwide. Millets (coarse grains) are a group of small-seeded grasses cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world and are an important source of food and feed for humans and livestock. Although minor millets, i.e., foxtail millet, finger millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet and little millet are generally hardier and more drought-resistant than cereals and major millets (sorghum and pearl millet), understanding their responses, processes and strategies in response to drought is more limited. Here, we review drought resistance strategies in minor millets under three themes: drought escape (e.g., short crop cycle, short vegetative period, developmental plasticity and remobilization of assimilates), drought avoidance (e.g., root traits for better water absorption and leaf traits to control water loss), and drought tolerance (e.g., osmotic adjustment, maintenance of photosynthetic ability and antioxidant potential). Data from 'omics' studies are summarized to provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms important in drought tolerance. In addition, the final section highlights knowledge gaps and challenges to improving minor millets. This review is intended to enhance major cereals and millet per se in light of climate-related increases in aridity.

Growing the African millet is profitable

Growing the African millet is profitable

Optimisation of Levilactobacillus brevis-fermented finger millet (Eleusine coracana) and evaluation of its effects on cancer cells (HCT116 and MDA-MB-231)

The objective of this study was to optimise the millet formulation using Levilactobacillus brevis and to evaluate its anticarcinogenic potential in vitro. The formula was developed in the course of the fermentation of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) using L. brevis MTTC 4460 and optimised by response surface methodology and validation by artificial neural networking (ANN). The optimised millet formulation could be obtained using 2 % of bacterial inoculum, 2 % of glucose, and a fermentation duration of 3.3 days with a yield of 5.98 mg/mL lactic acid and 3.38 log10 (CFU/mL) viable L. brevis with overall desirability value of 1. The fermented millet formulation exhibited antiproliferative and antimigratory effects on MDA-MB-231 and HCT116 cancer cell lines. In addition, the outcomes observed in western blot analysis revealed that the formulation elicited apoptotic responses mediated by the Bcl-2 family of proteins in MDA-MB-231 and HCT116 cell lines while demonstrating no discernible impact on HEK293 normal cells.

Biotechnological Approaches toward Blast Disease Resistance in Finger Millet

Plant disease globally causes significant losses in crop production that hindering the urgent need for a 60% increase in food demand. The main impact is reduced food quantity and quality leading to compromised food safety from pesticides and toxins. Biotechnology is essential for protecting crop yield and enhancing sustainability in agriculture. Agricultural biotechnology has advanced offering options for understanding plant molecular mechanisms and breeding. The devastating finger millet blast disease caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae affects crop growth and yield leading to instability due to breakdown of blast resistance. Novel strategies are essential for sustainable finger millet production focusing on breeding techniques such as molecular markers, expressed sequence tags (ESTs), gene expression profiling, genome-wide association studies, and genetic transformations to develop new disease-resistance varieties. This comprehensive review explores current breeding strategies and future directions that may offers insights for effective disease control and optimizing finger millet productivity.