scholarly journals Significance of small millets in nutrition and health-A review

Author(s):  
Sujata Bhat ◽  
C. Nandini ◽  
V. Tippeswamy ◽  
Prabhaka .

Small millets are a group of six crops comprising of finger millet, kodo millet, little millet, foxtail millet, barnyard millet and proso millet. They are considered as nutri- cereals and are source of food, feed and fodder. The crops are grown in a variety of agro-ecological situations including plains, coast and hills as well as in diverse soils and varying rainfall. They are known for resilience and drought enduring capacity and are relatively less prone to major pests and diseases. The richness in calcium, dietary fiber, polyphenol and protein contents in millets make them unique among the cereals. Generally, millets show significant amounts of amino acids like methionine and cystine and also have high fat content than rice and maize. Millets have nutraceutical properties in the form of antioxidants which prevent deterioration of human health such as lowering blood pressure, risk of heart disease, prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, decreasing tumor cases etc. The contribution of millets to national food security and their potential health benefits, millet grain is now receiving increasing interest from food scientists, technologists and nutritionists.

The Nucleus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vetriventhan ◽  
Vania C. R. Azevedo ◽  
H. D. Upadhyaya ◽  
A. Nirmalakumari ◽  
Joanna Kane-Potaka ◽  
...  

AbstractCurrent agricultural and food systems encourage research and development on major crops, neglecting regionally important minor crops. Small millets include a group of small- seeded cereal crops of the grass family Poaceae. This includes finger millet, foxtail millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet, little millet, teff, fonio, job’s tears, guinea millet, and browntop millet. Small millets are an excellent choice to supplement major staple foods for crop and dietary diversity because of their diverse adaptation on marginal lands, less water requirement, lesser susceptibility to stresses, and nutritional superiority compared to major cereal staples. Growing interest among consumers about healthy diets together with climate-resilient features of small millets underline the necessity of directing more research and development towards these crops. Except for finger millet and foxtail millet, and to some extent proso millet and teff, other small millets have received minimal research attention in terms of development of genetic and genomic resources and breeding for yield enhancement. Considerable breeding efforts were made in finger millet and foxtail millet in India and China, respectively, proso millet in the United States of America, and teff in Ethiopia. So far, five genomes, namely foxtail millet, finger millet, proso millet, teff, and Japanese barnyard millet, have been sequenced, and genome of foxtail millet is the smallest (423-510 Mb) while the largest one is finger millet (1.5 Gb). Recent advances in phenotyping and genomics technologies, together with available germplasm diversity, could be utilized in small millets improvement. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the importance of small millets, the global status of their germplasm, diversity, promising germplasm resources, and breeding approaches (conventional and genomic approaches) to accelerate climate-resilient and nutrient-dense small millets for sustainable agriculture, environment, and healthy food systems.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 939-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. Singh ◽  
Rahul R. Poddar ◽  
K. N. Agrawal ◽  
Smrutilipi Hota ◽  
Mukesh K. Singh

In tribal areas of India, traditional methods of threshing of minor millets like little millet (Panicum sumatrense), M1, kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum), M2, foxtail millet (Setaria italica), M3, proso millet (P. miliaceum), M4, barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumantacea), M5, finger millet (Eleusine coracana), M6 is done of beating by sticks or treading out the crop panicle under the feet of oxen. This operation is most time consuming, labour intensive, drudgery prone, uneconomical, lower output and obtain low quality products. A thresher for these millet crops was developed and optimization of the operating parameters with little millet was done by using Response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized parameters were 7.79% (d.b) moisture content, 105 kgh-1 feed rate, 625 rpm cylinder speed, 5 mm threshing sieve size which gave maximum threshing efficiency of 95.13% and cleaning efficiency of 94.12%. After optimization of parameters the thresher was tested for threshing of all the six minor millets with proper adjustments of sieve. Threshing capacity of M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 and M6 were obtained as 89, 137, 140, 91, 88 and 99 kg/h, respectively with more than 96% threshing efficiency and less than 2% broken grain.


1985 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38
Author(s):  
D. K. Muldoon

SUMMARYSorghum bicolor, Pennisetum americanum, Echinochloa utilis, Panicum miliaceum, Setaria italica and Eleusine coracana were grown with and without full irrigation on an alkaline clay soil at Trangie, Australia. Dry-matter yields and forage quality changes with time were measured in the 1st year. Grain yield was recorded over 2 years.Dry-matter accumulation was initially most rapid in sorghum and Japanese barnyard millet. Sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet produced the most dry matter; these were the latest to reach head emergence. The early-maturing proso millet and foxtail millet produced only 7 and l i t dry matter/ha respectively. These two millets, like sorghum and pearl millet, had a high nitrogen: sulphur ratio and low sodium concentration in the forage. Finger millet had a lower nitrogen: sulphur ratio and a sodium concentration that was surpassed only by Japanese barnyard millet.Irrigated sorghum consistently produced the highest grain yields: over 9 t/ha. Yields from the millets were: foxtail 6·0, finger 5·0, proso 3·5, pearl and Japanese barnyard millet 2·8–2·9 t/ha. Special features of the millets are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ilangasingha Gamlathge Nethmini Hansika Senevirathne ◽  
Walimuni Kanchana Subhashini Mendis Abeysekera ◽  
Walimuni Prabhashini Kaushalya Mendis Abeysekera ◽  
Nileththi Yasendra Jayanath ◽  
Sirimal Premakumara Galbada Arachchige ◽  
...  

The present study evaluated a range of biological activities of selected millet types and sorghum varieties in Sri Lanka in relation to diabetes and its complications management. Five millet types, namely, proso millet, white finger millet, kodo millet, foxtail millet, and finger millet (Oshadha and Rawana), and two sorghum varieties, namely, sweet sorghum and sorghum ICSV 112, were used in this study. Methanolic extracts of whole grains were studied for antiamylase, antiglucosidase, and early- and middle-stage antiglycation and glycation reversing activities in vitro. Tested millets and sorghum showed significant ( p  < 0.05) and dose-dependent antiamylase (IC50: 33.34 ± 1.11–1446.70 ± 54.10 μg/ml), early-stage antiglycation (IC50: 15.42 ± 0.50–270.03 ± 16.29 μg/ml), middle-stage antiglycation (135.08 ± 12.95–614.54 ± 6.99 μg/ml), early-stage glycation reversing (EC50: 91.82 ± 6.56–783.20 ± 61.70 μg/ml), and middle-stage glycation reversing (393.24 ± 8.68–1374.60 ± 129.30 μg/ml) activities. However, none of the studied millet and sorghum showed antiglucosidase activity. Out of the samples studied, pigmented samples, namely, sweet sorghum, Oshadha, and Rawana, exhibited significantly high ( p  < 0.05) antiamylase and early- and middle-stage antiglycation and glycation reversing activities compared to other millet and sorghum samples. Interestingly, sweet sorghum exhibited nearly four times potent antiamylase activity compared to the standard drug acarbose (IC50 111.98 ± 2.68 μg/ml) and sweet sorghum, kodo millet, Oshadha, and Rawana showed comparable early-stage antiglycation activities in comparison to the reference standard Rutin (IC50 21.88 ± 0.16 μg/ml). Therefore, consumption of whole grains of pigmented millet and sorghum in Sri Lanka may play an important role in the prevention and management of diabetes and its complications. Interestingly, this is the 1st study to report all the tested biological activities for millet and sorghum in Sri Lanka and the 1st study to report both early- and middle-stage glycation reversing activities of millet and sorghum worldwide.


2020 ◽  
pp. 62-66
Author(s):  
G. Bhuvaneshwari ◽  
A. Nirmalakumari ◽  
S. Kalaiselvi

Commonly consumed millet types viz., Little millet, foxtail millet, pearl millet, finger millet, and Kodo millet were tested under two processing methods of soaking and germination at a different time point. Most popular processing practices adopted by Indian households were studied for their influence on the biochemical properties, antioxidant profile, and anti-nutritive factors. The results showed that the sprouting process showed a maximum influence on the antioxidant and anti-nutritive factors. The comparative analysis of the five millets suggested 24h soaking and 24h germination was found to be best for producing nutritionally enriched millet products. Tannin content decreases with an increase in germination. The reduction in tannin was about 50% in little millet (0.347 mg/g) and the highest was recorded in finger millet (2.07 mg/g). The highest amount of saponin content was found in pearl millet( 39.53 mg/g) followed by finger millet ( 34.86 mg/g) with 24 hr soaking and  24 hr germination. The phytase activity was found to be higher in little millet (61.520 u/kg) when prolonged soaking and germination. The DPPH assay showed sprouted foxtail millet grains contain more antioxidant activity (81.13%) when extent the period of soaking and germination.


Author(s):  
K. Nithyashree ◽  
K. Geetha ◽  
Netravati Hiremath ◽  
R. Muthuraju

Millets have substantial benefits as a drought-resistant crop, yield good productivity in the areas with water scarcity, possesses remarkable edibles and nutritive values. Nutritional quality of food is the most important parameter for maintaining human health and complete physical wellbeing. Since nutritional wellbeing is the driving force for development and maximization of human genetic potential. Therefore the study was undertaken to investigate the nutrient composition of selected minor millet. The mean moisture content of millet ranged from 8.0 to 10.1 percent. Among the minor millet proso (12.3g/100g) and foxtail millet (12.0g/100g) showed the highest protein content than other millets and lowest was in barnyard millet (6.3g/100g). Fat and ash content in millets ranged from 0.9 to 4.4g/100g and 1.3 to 2.0g/100g respectively. The highest crude fiber content was recorded in barnyard millet (9.9g/100g), followed by kodo millet (9.2g/100g) and lowest in proso millet (2.3g/100g). Carbohydrate content in finger millet was significantly higher (76.3g/100g), followed by proso millet (74.0g/100g) and least was recorded in foxtail millet (67.0g/100g). The energy value of selected millets ranged from 330 to 362 Kcal. Results showed that ‘F’ value indicated a significant difference to exist among the selected millets for all the nutrients studied (p≤0.05). Millets have substantial benefits as a drought-resistant crop, yield good productivity in the areas with water scarcity, possesses remarkable edibles and nutritive values. Nutritional quality of food is the most important parameter for maintaining human health and complete physical wellbeing. Since nutritional wellbeing is the driving force for development and maximization of human genetic potential. Therefore the study was undertaken to investigate the nutrient composition of selected minor millet. The mean moisture content of millet ranged from 8.0 to 10.1 percent. Among the minor millet proso (12.3g/100g) and foxtail millet (12.0g/100g) showed the highest protein content than other millets and lowest was in barnyard millet (6.3g/100g). Fat and ash content in millets ranged from 0.9 to 4.4g/100g and 1.3 to 2.0g/100g respectively. The highest crude fiber content was recorded in barnyard millet (9.9g/100g), followed by kodo millet (9.2g/100g) and lowest in proso millet (2.3g/100g). Carbohydrate content in finger millet was significantly higher (76.3g/100g), followed by proso millet (74.0g/100g) and least was recorded in foxtail millet (67.0g/100g). The energy value of selected millets ranged from 330 to 362 Kcal. Results showed that ‘F’ value indicated a significant difference to exist among the selected millets for all the nutrients studied (p≤0.05).


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (00) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Chaturvedi ◽  
Falguni Rathore ◽  
Shantanu Pandey

Minor millets are small sized cereal grains belonging to the family Poaceae (Gramineae) are grown mainly in America, Japan, China and India. In India minor millet grown are finger millet, proso millet, barnyard millet, kodo millet and little millet. Threshing is based on the principle that, some impact is given on crops, the grains are separated from panicles, cobs and pods. The performance of the threshing unit with development of five different shapes of pegs for threshing small millet. small millet thresher was tested at two different speed 712 rpm and 1068 rpm. The highest threshing efficiency with disc shape peg of 99.57 % cleaning efficiency 98.64 % output capacity 19.68 kg/ha was observed. In disc shape peg seed damage negalible. The cost of operation was also minimum. On the basis of above the disc type pe is recommended for minor millet.


2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (8) ◽  
pp. 1128-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jee-Yeon Ko ◽  
Seuk-Bo Song ◽  
Jae-Saeng Lee ◽  
Jong-Rae Kang ◽  
Myung-Chul Seo ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 790-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myung-Chul Seo ◽  
Jee-Yeon Ko ◽  
Seuk-Bo Song ◽  
Jae-Saeng Lee ◽  
Jong-Rae Kang ◽  
...  

1981 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-289
Author(s):  
P. W. Bartholomew ◽  
R. J. Williams

SUMMARYNitrogen fertilizer requirements and potential forage yield of maize and two millet types grown under irrigation in Saudi Arabia were assessed. Nitrogen application at 50 kg/ha produced mean yields of up to 15.7 t/ha in maize variety Pioneer H.3147. Splitting the nitrogen application did not significantly affect yield. Nitrogen above 100 kg/ha did not significantly increase DM yield of Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum). Mean total DM yields of 17.6 t/ha of Setaria italica were produced, after 111 days, with 150–200 kg/ha of nitrogen; 150 kg/ha of P2O5 produced a mean DM yield 7.9% higher than 75 kg P2O5/ha.


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