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7 millets that grow in your backyard and what you can do with them

Millets are highly nutritious and the oldest foods known to humans, known as the first cereal grains for human consumption. They have been
used as staple foods as far back as 2700 BC in Africa and India. They are ideal replacements for wheat and rice which are lower in nutritional
content and high in iron, calcium and mineral content.

Here are 7 millets that you can introduce in your daily diet and reap benefits right away!

Little millet

Little Millet

Little Millet This was domesticated in India and grown throughout. It comes in form of rice, semolina and flour. It has the highest fat content
of all the millets and a good level of protein. Eaten commonly as bread, roti, dosa, rice.

Foxtail Millet

Fox tail millet (Hindi: Kutki, Kannada: Same) Comes in the form of rice, semolina and flour. Have the highest mineral content, 2nd highest
world production of all the millets. Eaten commonly as rice, roti, dosa, idli.
Finger millet (Ragi)

Finger Millet

Finger Millet (Hindi: Ragi, Kannda: Ragi) Staple grain in Africa and India this has the highest calcium content in all the millets. This is eaten
commonly as porridge, roti, dosa, mudde, payasam.

Banyard Millet

Barnyard millet (Hindi: Sanwa, Kannada: Oodhalu) This is the fastest growing millet producing yield in 6 weeks, this has the highest fibre
and iron content of all the millets.

Kodo millet crop

Kodo Millet

Kodo Millet (Hindi: Kodon, Kannada: Haarka) High fibre and energy content, ideal for diabetics can be used to make rice
Kodo millet

Proso Millet

Proso Millet (Hindi: Chena, Kannada: Baragu) This has the highest protein content and very high in carbs as well

Sorghum

Sorghum (Hindi: Jowari, Kannada: Jola) Known as jowar, this hardy grain is consumed in the form of flat breads and porridges. It has a
good protein, carb and energy content

Pearl Millet

Pearl millet

Pearl Millet (Hindi: Bajra, Kannada: Sajje) Commonly known as bajra India is the highest producer of bajra it is very high in protein and energy
content and used in rotis, rice, sprouted, porridge
Pearl millet crop

What you can make with millets

Millets can be used to a whole variety of food that we consume everyday. They are ideal replacements to wheat and rice for their higher
nutritional value. They can be used to make South Indian staples like upma, dosa, idli, vada, bajjis/pakoras, murrukus/chakkli, nipatlu, pongal,
mudda (dumpling), khichdi, pulav/biriyani, kheer/payasam, baked products such as bread and biscuits, or cooked just like boiled rice.
Millet Species

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), also called cattail millet, bullrush millet, or candle millet (Figure 1), is generally used as a temporary
summer pasture, hay, or silage crop and is one of the most widely grown millets in the region. This species is leafy, but tall and erect, often
growing from 3 to 8 ft in height. It is particularly well adapted to nutrient-poor, sandy soils in low rainfall areas. Stems are pithy and leaves are
often wide, long, and pointed, with finely serrated margins. Pearl millet plants tiller freely and produce an inflorescence with a dense,
cylindrical, spike-like, brownish panicle 14 in. long and 1 in. or less in diameter. Pearl millets are generally cross-pollinated, and several high-
yielding varieties and hybrids have been developed. Seed from pearl millet has been used for poultry feed and birdseed in the U.S., but can
potentially be used for other classes of livestock. Both forage and seed type pearl millets are available for purchase. Forage types typically
grow taller and produce less grain. In general, grain maturity will occur sooner than grain sorghums (milo). The protein content and amino
acid profile of pearl millet grain makes it a very suitable feed for the poultry industry.

Figure 1. Pearl millet grown under dryland conditions at Tucumcari, NM.

Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.], also called German or Italian millet (Figure 2), is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world and
is the other more commonly grown millet in the region, although acreage is less than pearl millet. Foxtail millet forms slender, erect, leafy
stems varying in height from 1 to 5 ft. Small convex seeds are enclosed in hulls (whose color depends on variety) and are borne in a spike-
like, compressed panicle resembling yellow, green, or giant foxtails.
Figure 2. Foxtail millet (German Strain R) after heading at Tucumcari, NM.

Foxtail millet requires warm weather and matures quickly in the hot summer months. Generally grown in semiarid regions, it has a low water
requirement, though it does not recover well from drought conditions because it has a shallow root system. Successful production is due
almost entirely to its short growing season (65 to 70 days for hay types; 75 to 90 days for grain types). Consequently, foxtail millet can be
planted when it is too late to plant most other crops.

Principal uses of foxtail millet include forage for hay or grazing or grain for birdseed. Several different types of foxtail millet are grown in
northern New Mexico and southern Colorado (mostly as hay crops), but some are used for dual-purpose hay and grain production. Although
some cool-season hay crops are superior in quality, foxtail millet makes good hay for cattle and sheep, but it has generally been displaced by
sorghum-sudangrass hybrids as a late-sown summer hay crop (see Guide A-332, Sorghum Forage Production in New Mexico, available
from http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_a/a-332.pdf).

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.), also called broomcorn millet, hog millet, or Hershey millet (Figure 3), is grown as a grain crop primarily
for birdseed and for brooms. It is adapted to regions where spring-sown small grains are successful and moderately warm weather is
necessary for good plant growth. Proso millet has one of the lowest water requirements of any grain crop, but it is also subject to drought
injury because of its shallow root system and does not grow well on coarse, sandy soils. Proso millet can be planted following most other
crops because it often requires only 60 to 75 days from seeding to maturity, and is generally grown as a late-seeded, short-season summer
catch crop.
Figure 3. White proso millet at Tucumcari, NM.

Varieties of proso millet are divided into three groups based on the shape of the panicle: (1) spreading, (2) loose and one-sided, and (3)
compact and erect. Generally, this millet has a large, open panicle with coarse, woody stems 12 to 48 in. high. Seed are larger than those
found on foxtail millet. They are enclosed in the inner chaff or hull, which ranges in color from white to black, with reds, browns, and grays.
The large, erect stems and leaves are covered with hair. Several varieties are available and are utilized to a moderate degree in New Mexico,
but to a much larger extent in Colorado. Varieties grown in New Mexico include Earlybird, Huntsman, Sunrise, and Sunup.

Millet Culture

Planting. Millets are very sensitive to cold temperatures and should only be planted when the threat of freeze has passed in the spring. Even
temperatures of 40 to 50 F can severely hinder growth; they are more sensitive than sorghums in this regard. Millets do not germinate in
cool, wet soil, so it is necessary to delay planting until soils have thoroughly warmed (consistent, daily minimum soil temperature of 65 F or
higher at the 1-in. depth). As a general rule of thumb, millets should be planted 3 to 4 weeks after typical corn planting time or 1 to 2 weeks
after sorghum for a particular area (e.g., millet planted between May 15 and 20 or later for the Clovis, NM, area). Millets may be seeded at
any time that will allow at least 60 to 70 days of growing season until frost. Yields will be reduced if planting takes place too late. Most millets
are planted in much the same manner as small grains, using drills with 6- to 8-in. row spacing (wider-spaced drills may allow weed
competition). Standard grain drills with a small seed attachment (alfalfa box) are best for seeding due to the small size of some millet seed.
Seeding depth ranges from 1/2 to 1 in. It is important not to plant millets deep in conventionally tilled ground because heavy rains can bury
seeds even deeper and cause soil crusting, thereby leading to poor emergence. No-till planting is possible, but the shallow planting depth
necessary for millets may be difficult to achieve with large amounts of residue on the soil surface. In addition, no-till soils generally are cooler
than conventionally tilled soils, and planting later in no-till situations is advised. In conventional systems, soil preparation should follow
recommendations for producing small grains or sorghum. Later planting usually gives adequate time for thorough land preparation. A fairly
level, moist, firm seedbed is recommended, and soils should be weed-free prior to planting.
Common seeding rates of millets range broadly from 5 to 30 lb/ac, but adequate yields for pearl and foxtail millets can be obtained under
irrigation with 15 to 25 lb of seed/ac (drilled). Proso millet is often seeded at 20 to 30 lb/ac. Seed cost per acre will be higher than for
sorghums planted at similar rates for forage. It should be noted that excellent forage yields (>5 tons/ac) have been obtained with late-planted
pearl millet in West Texas with as little as 5 lb of seed/ac. Millets have the ability to tiller quite extensively and fill in open spaces in the stand
caused by poor emergence or plant damage. In general, higher seeding rates may be warranted if seed is broadcast or to help hasten
canopy closure in order to better compete with weeds. Higher seeding rates are also recommended when hay crops are desired in order to
minimize stem size and increase nutritive value. Dryland seeding rates are roughly half of those of irrigated plantings. When producing millet
for grain crops, seeding rates should be reduced by half or more, and millet should be planted in wider rows (e.g., 30 in.) to allow cultivation
since herbicide options are limited.

Fertilization. Millets are grown and can be productive on less fertile soils, but they respond well to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)
fertilizers. Generally, 40 to 80 lb N per acre at planting is adequate for both forage and grain. Total N requirement will depend on water status
(i.e., dryland or irrigated) or irrigation amount to be applied. If used for multi-cut hay or grazing, an additional 40 to 60 lb N/ac should be
applied after each cutting or intensive grazing event. One-cut hay or silage systems will require a total of 150 lb N/ac or more for high yields
(roughly 25 to 30 lb N/ac per dry ton of yield). Phosphorus should be applied based on soil test results, but 30 to 60 lb P/ac is usually
adequate to produce hay or grain. Potassium in most New Mexico and West Texas soils is adequate to meet the demands of millet crops. A
soil test is recommended to evaluate the entire nutritional needs of the crop, including micronutrients. Millets perform better and are less
susceptible to iron deficiency than sorghums on high pH, calcareous soils that are common in New Mexico and Texas.

Pest (weeds, insects, and diseases) Control. Integrated pest management (IPM) should always be used in millet production, whether it is
grown for forage or grain. Choosing a particular control method or methods (cultural, mechanical, or chemical) depends upon the pest
spectrum, crop rotation sequence, and other factors. Cultural control options include using weed-free seed of an adapted variety, narrow row
spacing for forage production, and crop rotations, all of which will enhance the competitive edge of the millet crop. Mechanical methods
should be used to control established weeds and prepare the seedbed prior to planting millets. If the seedbed is adequate for planting,
existing weeds can also be controlled with burndown herbicides such as glyphosate or paraquat, which have no soil residual activity.
Additionally, saflufenacil has a supplemental label for use as a burndown herbicide from early pre-plant through pre-emergence for pearl and
proso millets. Care should be taken with this herbicide since injury may occur under certain soil conditions and for some millet varieties.
Where millets are planted in wide rows for seed or silage, mechanical cultivation can provide in-season weed control if herbicides are not
available or capable of being used. The most troublesome weeds in millet production are summer annual broadleaf and grassy weeds.

Chemical weed control options are limited for millet production. Currently, only mesotrione (Callisto) is labeled for pre-emergence broadleaf
weed control in pearl millet; however, saflufenacil (Sharpen) has some soil residual activity and may provide limited control of certain
broadleaf weeds. These products must be applied prior to millet emergence. A few post-emergence herbicides can be used on millet (pearl
millet mainly) for broadleaf weed control. These include 2,4-D formulations, fluroxypyr (Starane), and carfentrazone (Aim). Most of these
herbicides can be applied up to the early boot stage of millet growth. Prosulfuron (Peak) is labeled for post-emergence use on proso millet
only. No herbicides are labeled for grass weed control after millet has emerged. Available herbicides vary in their specificity for use on either
forage or grain crops or both. When using any agricultural pest control product, always consult and follow label directions for
appropriate rates, application procedures, and pre-harvest intervals.

In general, insects are not a major pest of millets. The principal insect problems in millet production are grasshoppers on young plants and
fall armyworms feeding on whorl-stage pearl millet plants. In some cases, chinch bugs or false chinch bugs may also cause economic
damage. Grasshoppers, thrips, and grass mites may become a problem on most millets as they move from maturing wheat into millet fields.
Corn earworm and stink bugs occasionally feed on pearl millet heads. Several insecticides are labeled for use on millets. Foxtail millet can
harbor the wheat curl mite, a vector of wheat streak mosaic virus in wheat. Therefore, wheat should not be planted following production of
foxtail millet unless sufficient time has passed to break the curl mite cycle (3 weeks or more).

While numerous diseases have been reported for millets worldwide, diseases generally are not widespread in New Mexico and West Texas,
especially when millet is grown for forage. Some diseases affecting foxtail millet include mildew, bacterial blight, and leaf spot. Kernel smut is
also a problem in some cases, but can be controlled with seed treatments. The impact of head smuts that affect grain quality can be reduced
with high-quality seed and planter box fungicide treatments. Diseases are not prevalent on proso millet, but bacterial stripe, kernel smut, and
head smut are occasional problems and can be controlled with seed treatments and crop rotations. Producers should only buy certified seed
for planting. There appears to be few disease problems associated with pearl millet in the region; however, bacterial leaf spot has been
observed on pearl millet in New Mexico. This disease rarely causes economic damage. If millets are planted into cool, wet soils early in the
season, damping off may occur to seedlings. Seed rots can be controlled with fungicides applied as a seed treatment at planting.

As with sorghum grown for grain, birds can be a major pest of millets. The exposed grain heads are easily accessible, and significant damage
can be done to crops, especially on small acreages near structures or tree lines and when harvest is delayed. Potential losses associated
with bird feeding should be weighed when considering planting millets for grain or silage (early grain development).

Harvesting. Forage crops can be utilized as early as 45 to 60 days after planting. Hay crops should be windrowed at the boot stage for a
good balance of yield and nutritive value. If hay is cut at later stages of development (Figure 4), nutritive value will be lower but yields will
likely be higher. First cut yields of pearl millet grown with irrigation can be as high as 3.0 to 4.5 tons/ac when cut as hay at the boot stage.
Subsequent harvests generally will yield less than the first. Total seasonal yields can exceed 7 tons/ac of dry forage in irrigated multi-cut
systems. While multiple cuttings are possible in most parts of the region, cooler regions at higher elevations in New Mexico may be limited to
only 1 or 2 cuttings per year. Pearl millet has been shown to yield twice as much forage as foxtail millet in trials conducted at Clovis, NM, and
it has the added advantage of regrowth after cutting. Foxtail millets will not grow much, if at all, after harvest; therefore, these millets work well
as single-cut smother crops. It is often thought that pearl millet will yield slightly less than sorghum-sudangrass forages; however, yields have
been comparable in tests conducted at Clovis and Tucumcari, NM (for more information on variety performance, see the corn and sorghum
performance tests at http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/variety_trials/welcome.html#corn).

Figure 4. Pearl millet being swathed after heading for hay. Later-maturing sorghum-sudangrass is present in the background.
Although pearl millet was harvested at a later stage of maturity, nutritive value of the two crops was similar in 2010.

Pearl millet averages 60 to 65% digestibility and 14 to 18% crude protein when harvested prior to heading. In general, nutritive value of millets
is slightly higher than sorghum-sudangrass hybrids grown for hay, mainly due to the greater proportion of leaves (i.e., less stalk) of millets.
The brown midrib trait (BMR; i.e., less indigestible lignin) may be available soon in pearl millet and, like sorghum, should give higher
digestibility than conventional types. Nutritive value of foxtail millet will be similar to that of pearl millet, but perhaps slightly higher due to
lower yields. Foxtail millet can be dangerous to horses in large quantities due to a glucoside known as setarian that can damage kidneys,
bones, and joints. Hence, foxtail millets should only be fed to cattle and sheep. Cutting hay early may lessen this danger, and hay cut prior to
heading is preferred for horses. Foxtail millets may also cause oral lesions when consumed. Pearl millets do not contain the cyanogenic
glucosides (or prussic acid potential) common in sorghum and, thus, can be fed with less concern of harming livestock. However, alkaloid
accumulation in some foxtail and pearl millets has been reported and may become toxic to livestock, including horses. The lack of prussic
acid potential makes millet more suitable than sorghum for grazing under drought or frost conditions. However, like other forages, millets may
accumulate nitrates, and nitrate toxicity can be a concern when the crop is used for grazing or hay. For more information on nitrate toxicity
and how to manage high-nitrate feeds, see Guide B-807, Nitrate Poisoning of Livestock, available from http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_b/b-
807.pdf.

Grazing of millets should be delayed until plants are about 12 to 18 in. tall. Plants should not be grazed lower than 6 in. if regrowth is desired.
If plants reach the boot stage or 40 in. tall, they should be cut for hay or silage. At this stage, plants will contain over 75% moisture. Hence,
they will need to be windrowed and wilted slightly (down to 65% moisture) prior to chopping for silage or allowed to dry to less than 18%
moisture prior to baling. Pearl millets have large stalks and may therefore be difficult to dry. Using a conditioner at cutting will help facilitate
drying and prevent dry matter losses, excessive heating, and molds associated with baling wet hay. Laying the hay out in a wide swath will
also take better advantage of solar radiation to promote curing, although this technique will require raking prior to baling.

Because seeds do not mature uniformly and shattering of early-maturing seeds can occur, proso millets grown for grain are generally
windrowed when seeds in the upper half of the head are ripe and allowed to cure before combining with a pickup header. Several of the proso
millets mature at or near 1,500 growing degree days (using 50 F and 86 F base and maximum temperatures, respectively). Average protein
content of most foxtail and proso millet grain ranges from 11 to 12%, compared to around 13% for wheat. Protein content of pearl millet grain
is equal to or higher than that of corn and sorghum and has a higher concentration of essential amino acids. Pearl millet can be harvested
with a combine similar to grain sorghum when grain moisture is below 15%. Minimal, but critical, combine adjustments will be necessary for
the smaller seed size and difficulty of separating seed from the head. A desiccant may be necessary prior to harvest because leaves and
stalks may still be green well after grain maturity. Storage moisture should not exceed 12% to prevent molds from developing.

Pearl Millet Sorghum-Sudangrass Comparisons

Advantages Pearl Millet

Leaf/stem ratio of pearl millet tends to be >50/50 in contrast to sorghum-sudangrass, which is usually <50/50. This has potential implications for
forage quality because leaves are more digestible than stems. Nutritive value of pearl millet has been similar to BMR sorghums in variety testing
at Clovis, NM. Crude protein is typically higher for pearl millet.

Millet is not a member of the sorghum family and does not develop prussic acid during sudden regrowth after drought conditions or upon the first
fall frost/freeze; thus, grazing cattle may not need to be removed or withheld. However, millet is susceptible to potential nitrate accumulation and
poisoning like many other forages. Similar environmental stresses are responsible for accumulations of both of these toxic substances.

Pearl millet is suitable forage for horses, whereas sorghums are not recommended for grazing or feeding to horses due to potential for cystitis (a
urinary tract disease).

Millet (at least hybrid pearl) has a different iron uptake mechanism than do members of the sorghum family, which are highly susceptible to iron
deficiency and chlorosis. Millet can withstand high pH soils and caliche conditions without yellowing up (iron chlorosis) better than forages in the
sorghum family. This does not mean that all millets are immune to iron deficiency.

Disadvantages Pearl Millet

Seed is small (70,000 to 90,000/lb), about 1/5 the size of sorghum-sudangrass seed (and about 1/3 to 1/4 of sorgo-sorghum-sudan, or three-way
cross forage). This means that it cannot be drilled or planted as deeply as sorghum.

Millet can be harder to establish in dryland due to more shallow seeding depth and limited moisture in the seeding zone that can dry out quicker.
Relative to sorghum-sudangrass, hybrid pearl millet cannot be grazed as hard; pearl millet resources often suggest to leave at least 6 to 8 in. of
stubble after grazing (or haying) in order for adequate regrowth, which is a couple of inches more than commonly suggested for sorghum-
sudangrass.

Millet has fewer herbicides labeled for use than sorghum-sudangrass; see the previous section on pest control. For a list of currently available
herbicides labeled for millet, go to http://www.cdms.net, click Services, then Labels/MSDS, and then Other Search Options. Register a user
name and password, then sign in. You can select Product Type (enter herbicide in the scroll down menu) and then Crop/Site (enter millet). This
will call up all labels that have millet on them. (Note that atrazine is not labeled for hybrid pearl millet.)

Conclusions

Millets can be a valuable source of forage because of their rapid growth, high nutritive value, and ability to survive stressful conditions such
as drought. These crops fit well into rotational systems and in situations where growing seasons are short or when emergency summer
forage is needed. Proper harvest timing is critical to achieve maximum feed value for animals requiring high nutrition. For classes of livestock
with lower nutritional demands, harvests can be delayed in order to maximize yield. Millets can also do well on soils that are not conducive to
growing sorghum or corn, and they do not contain prussic acid that sorghum forages accumulate. Finally, millets can be harvested as grain
for specialty human foods or bird seed.

Small millets consist of a about a dozen distinct species of small-seeded grasses that are grown for grain, each with their own unique traits
and value. The most economically significant of these at present is finger millet, but the other small millets (including five more described
below) are each in their own way important to the farmers who grow them. They are also potentially important to breeders of other cereals as
sources of traits that can improve the resilience and nutritional value of those more widely grown crops.

Small millets provide staple food grain for millions of poor smallholders and households in the developing worlds harshest, most food insecure
regions, such as the Sahel in Africa and in South Asias semi-arid zone. They also provide feed grain and fodder for livestock.

Small millets are extraordinarily tolerant of drought and other abiotic stresses, such as high temperatures and poor soils. This makes them
climate smart, and a good source for genetic traits that can strengthen the resilience of other crops in the face of climate change. As
climates get hotter and drier, small millets and the more dominant dryland cereals will become increasingly well suited for production in areas
where other crops are now grown.

Millets in general provide many essential vitamins and micronutrients that can bolster nutrition for those living in dryland areas, particularly
women and children. Small millets are especially rich in iron, zinc and calcium, and have other dietary qualities that can help stave off anemia,
celiac disease, and diabetes. This high nutritional value coupled with the impressive hardiness of small millets makes them desirable food
security crops, as well as a good sources of fodder and feed in mixed crop/livestock systems.

Photo: ICRISAT
Finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] plays an important role in both the dietary needs and incomes of many rural
households in Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia, and accounts for about 12% of the global millet area. Finger
millet is rich in fiber, iron and calcium (containing 40 times more calcium than maize and rice, and 10 times more than
wheat). It is the most important small millet in the tropics and is cultivated in more than 25 countries in Africa and Asia,
predominantly as a staple food grain. The major producers are Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and China.
Finger millet has high yield potential (more than 5 t/ha under optimum irrigated conditions) and its grain stores very well. Still, like most small
millets, finger millet is grown mainly in marginal environments as a rainfed crop with low soil fertility and limited moisture.

The crop is native to the Ethiopian highlands and was introduced into India approximately 4,000 years ago. It is well adapted to higher
elevations and is grown in the Himalayan foothills and in the East Africa highlands, up to about 2,300 meters above sea level (masl).
Major constraints to finger millet production include blast disease (caused by Pyricularia grisea, the same pathogen that causes blast disease
in rice, pearl millet and many other grasses), the parasitic weed Striga, and abiotic stresses such as drought and low soil fertility.
Research opportunities to be explored include the application of genetic male-sterility as a breeding tool (to make it easier to produce F 1, BCnF1,
and other types of crosses) to facilitate recurrent selection to develop broad-based and more durable, host-plant resistance to blast, and to
produce backcross F1generations that are large enough to permit exploitation of background selection to hasten recovery of elite recurrent
parent background in breeding programs targeting value addition to farmer- and market-preferred finger millet varieties.
The ICRISAT genebank holds nearly 6,000 finger millet germplasm accessions from 24 countries, conserved for use in research and
development.

Photo: ICRISAT
Foxtail millet [Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.] is a native of China and is one of the worlds oldest cultivated crops, dating back
about 7,000 years to the Yang-Shao period.
Foxtail millet ranks second in the total world production of millets and continues to have an important place in the world agriculture providing
approximately six million tons of food and feed grain to millions of people, mainly on poor or marginal soils in southern Europe and in
temperate, subtropical and tropical Asia. It will grow in altitudes from sea level to more than 2000 m. It cannot tolerate water logging.

Foxtail millet is fairly tolerant of drought; it can escape some droughts because of early maturity. Due to its quick growth, it can be grown as a
short-term catch crop. It is adapted to a wide range of elevations, soils and temperatures. Its grain is used for human consumption and as feed
for poultry and cage birds.
The ICRISAT genebank holds 1,535 foxtail millet germplasm accessions from 26 countries, which are conserved for use in research and
development.

Photo: ICRISAT
Kodo millet [Paspalum scrobiculatum L.] was domesticated in India almost 3,000 years ago. It is found across the old world
in humid habitats of the tropics and subtropics. It is a minor grain crop in India and most important in the Deccan plateau.
The fiber content of the whole grain is very high. Kodo millet has around 11% protein, and the nutritional value of the protein has been found
to be slightly better than that of foxtail millet, but comparable to that of other small millets. As with other food grains, the nutritive value of
kodo millet protein can be improved by supplementation with legume protein.
The ICRISAT genebank holds 665 kodo millet germplasm accessions from 2 countries, conserved for use in research and development.
Photo: ICRISAT
Little millet [Panicum sumatrense Roth. ex. Roem. & Schult.] was domesticated in India. Its weedy progenitor is P.
psilopodium, and it is grown throughout India (on a limited basis) up to elevations of 2,100 masl, but is of little importance
elsewhere.
Little millet is a reliable fast-growing crop that is early maturing and resistant to adverse agro-climatic conditions. Its stover is suitable for
cattle. ICRISATs genebank maintains 473 little millet accessions from 5 countries, for use in research and development.

Photo: ICRISAT
Proso millet [Panicum miliaceum L.] was domesticated in Manchuria and Transcaucasia about 7,000 years ago, and
introduced in Europe about 3,000 years ago, followed by its introduction to the Near East and India. Proso millet is well
adapted to many soil and climatic conditions. Being a short season crop with a low water requirement, it grows further
north than the other millets and also adapts well to plateau conditions and high elevations. Proso millet is found high in the
mountains of the former USSR (up to 1,200 masl) and in India (up to 3,500 masl).
Proso millet generally matures between 60 and 90 days after sowing and can be grown successfully in poor soils and hot dry weather. It is an
easy crop to grow and it seems to be better adapted than most to primitive agricultural practices. It requires very little water, possibly the
least of any cereal, and converts water very efficiently to dry matter and grain. This is not because of its drought tolerance but because of its
short growing season. The ICRISAT genebank conserves 842 proso millet germplasm accessions from 30 countries for use in research and
development.

Photo: ICRISAT
Barnyard millet [Echinochloa colona (L.) Link] and [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv.] were domesticated about 4,000
years ago in India and Japan, respectively.
Barnyard millet is the fastest growing of all millets, with some varieties capable of producing a crop in just six weeks. It is grown in India, Japan
and China as a substitute for rice when the paddy crop fails. The plant has also attracted some attention as a fodder in the United States and
Japan.

ICRISATs genebank holds 743 barnyard millet accessions from 9 countries, for use in research and development.

Kaguno (Foxtail Millet) Cultivation In Ghanpokhara,


Lamjung
by Rita Gurung | 25 Feb 2016 | Uncategorized
Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is the second most commonly grown species of millet after pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). It has a long
history of cultivation in East Asian countries mainly China, where it has been grown since the sixth millennium BC. At present, it is grown for
food and feed. In the USA it is mainly preferred for high quality hay.
In Nepal it is used as a food grain and is cultivated in high hills and mid hills mainly in the districts of the Karnali zone. Known as kaguno in
Nepali, foxtail millet used to be common in other parts of the country as well including Kaski and Lamjung.
Ghanpokhara is a village development committee (VDC) in Lamjung district and part of the Annapurna Conservation Area overseen by the
Bhujung unit office. The altitude in Ghanpokhara ranges from 850 to 6983 masl at the tip of Lamjung Himal but the human settlement is
limited between 850 to 2175 masl. Approximately 80% of its 57 km2 area is covered by forest, rangeland whereas the remaining 20% is
under human settlement and agricultural cultivation.
Farmers in Ghanpokhara grow four varieties of kaguno, viz., Tinmase (also called Seto or Ande), Bariyo (also called Parbeli), Rato and Kalo
(seed collected at the Diversity Fair in 2014 followed by characterization in Diversity Block in 2015). Rato kaguno is considered to have
medicinal value while seto kaguno is most commonly grown due to better taste.
Photo 1. Bariyo kaguno (top left), kalo kaguno (top centre), seto kaguno (right) and rato kaguno (bottom) are the four varieties of
foxtail millet found in Ghanpokhara. Photo: Rita Gurung/LI-BIRD.
Photo 2. People say that kaguno cannot be milled in modern mills, but this batch of seto kaguno was milled fine in an electric mill.
The grains were dried in the sun for a day before milling. Photo: Rita Gurung/LI-BIRD.
Photo 3. Ki Kumari Gurung holds up the long panicles of tinmase (aka seto or ande) kaguno. Photo: Shreeram Subedi/LI-BIRD.
Kaguno used to be grown after clearing forest i.e., slash and burn at lower altitudes between 1000 to 1400 masl. It is generally sown in
Falgun (February/March), it matures in Asar (June/July) and is harvested by cutting the panicle with sickle. The panicles are mashed by
hands or feet to separate grain from panicle. It is sun dried and dehusked in dhiki three times before it is finally ready to cook and eat. It is
cultivated as a mono crop in Ghanpokhara contrasting with the practice in Karnali where it is cultivated in mixed cropping system together
with finger millet
It grows very well in dry condition. It is considered as a famine food (anikal ko anna) as it is harvested in Asar (June/July), i.e., earlier than
maize and at time of food deficiency. Rice and finger millet are harvested in Kartik (October/November) and families have little remaining
stock by Asar, says 75 years old Ommaya Gurung.
Kaguno can be consumed even on the day of harvest by roasting grain from young/immature panicles. Locals refer to it as, bihana khet ma,
beluka pet ma, literally, in the field at morning, in the belly by night. People take it as food (kharcha) while going for wild honey hunting,
which is one of the unique features of indigenous community of Nepal, mainly the Gurung community.
Cultivation of kaguno is declining in most of the hilly regions of Nepal, including Ghanpokhara. Mr. Jitman Biswakarma, a 47 year old farmer
of Ghimrang recalls, In the past, almost every household grew it, but nowadays only a handful of farmers grow it. We used to have it as
bhaat, kheer, selroti and also made raksi (local liquor) by mixing with finger millet.
The weeding and post-harvest processing is considered tedious, one of reasons for its decreasing cultivation. Lack of labour due to
outmigration of youth means that more tedious agricultural crops with limited pre-existing markets are being left behind. Also the young
generation do not prefer to eat it. Jitman adds, It used to be a staple food but with easy access to polished rice from the city, no one bothers
to farm and eat kaguno anymore.
Yet, 10% of farmers in Ghanpokhara still continue to grow it covering an average area of 1.2 ropani (600 m2) per household (Local Crops
Project baseline survey in 2014). Some farmers grow it as they do not want to leave their land barren. Some state their wish to save old
seeds and traditional crops. Ms. Rewant Kumari Gurung of Sene added that unlike maize, kaguno is not damaged by monkeys.
There are farmers unknowingly contributing to conservation of kaguno. I like to grow and eat old local crops, may be due to my old age
representing old generation says the 45-year old Prem Bahadur Gurung with an innocent smile. He adds, Nowadays kaguno is rare, so my
children are curious to try new dish and love it.
Prem Bahadurs experience challenges the general perception that young generation will not consume kaguno. Value addition and creating
new recipes can be possible options for promotion of these crops. Nutritional awareness can be another option. Low glycemic index and
gluten free nature of millets can be highlighted to attract consumers with such needs or interests.
Despite its importance for local food security and nutrition, little research has been done in foxtail millet making it a neglected and
underutilized species (NUS) from a research and development perspective. To fulfill this gap, the Local Crops Project is working on foxtail
millet and 7 other neglected crops in four high mountain districts of Nepal. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility,
implemented by UNEP and jointly executed by Bioversity International, the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRC) Nepal
Agriculture Research Council (NARC), the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and LI-BIRD.
Originally published on 13 October 2015 at www.libird.org

5 Comments

1.
Bhuwon Sthapit on 29 March 2016 at 6:12 am

I am interested to know how people from different part of globe consume foxtail millets in their daily diets? Sharing recipes with digitals
pictures will enhance value of this crop as new consumers have no clue how to use it despite awareness on nutritional value of the crop.
Reply


Rita Gurung on 29 March 2016 at 3:27 pm

Thank you for suggestion. I totally agree with you. Documenting local recipe and its wider dissemination is next area where
we have to focus on to increase local crops cultivation and consumption.
Reply


Rita Bhandary on 17 October 2016 at 1:35 pm
Dear Rita
I saw and read about Kaguno that you have also provided information. I have a marketing company call
Mahi Enterprises, where we try to market such products, show people the value of what our country has and
at the same time encourage local people to grow and preserve their gold as I like to call it.
Can you please help me to connect with these farmers.
Reply

2.
Achyut Mishra on 20 May 2016 at 4:42 pm

Today millet ranks as the sixth most important grain in the world, sustains 1/3 of the worlds population and is a significant part of the diet in
northern China, Japan, Manchuria and various areas of the former Soviet Union, Africa, India, and Egypt.
Millet is delicious as a cooked cereal and in casseroles, breads, soups, stews, and stuffing. It can be used as a side dish or served with
sauteed vegetables or with beans and can be popped like corn for use as a snack or breakfast cereal. The grain mixes well with any
seasoning or herbs that are commonly used in rice dishes and for interesting taste and texture variations it may be combined with quinoa
and or rice.
The Hunzas, who live in a remote area of the Himalayan foothills and are known for their excellent health and longevity also enjoy millet as a
staple in their diet.
So, millet is used in various cultures in many diverse ways: The Hunzas use millet as a cereal, in soups, and for making a dense, whole
grain bread called chapatti. In India flat thin cakes called roti are often made from millet flour and used as the basis for meals.
In Eastern Europe millet is used in porridge or is fermented into a beverage and in Africa it is used to make bread, as baby food, and as a
thin gruel used as breakfast porridge. It is also used as a stuffing ingredient for cabbage rolls in some countries.
Strauss, Karen, Mighty Millet: This Nutrition-packed, Mild-flavored Grain Isnt Just for the Birds Vegetarian Times, February 1997
Reference:
Strauss, Karen, Mighty Millet: This Nutrition-packed, Mild-flavored Grain Isnt Just for the Birds Vegetarian Times, February 1997.
Reply

3.
SURENDRA MAN SINGH RAJBHANDARI on 8 June 2016 at 9:38 pm

Low glycemic index and gluten free nature of millets can be highlighted to attract consumers with such needs or interests. This is the point
where I see its future expansion and preservation. The concerned authorities must take necessary step for its promotion too.

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