Finger millet

Last updated

Finger millet
Finger millet 3 11-21-02.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Chloridoideae
Genus: Eleusine
Species:
E. coracana
Binomial name
Eleusine coracana
Synonyms [1]
  • Cynodon coracanusRaspail
  • Cynosurus coracanusL.
  • Eleusine cerealisSalisb. nom. illeg.
  • Eleusine dagussaSchimp.
  • Eleusine lucoWelw. nom. inval.
  • Eleusine ovalisEhrenb. ex Sweet nom. inval.
  • Eleusine pilosaGilli
  • Eleusine reniformisDivak.
  • Eleusine sphaerospermaStokes nom. illeg.
  • Eleusine strictaRoxb.
  • Eleusine tocussaFresen.
Eleusine coracana (MHNT) Eleusine coracana MHNT.BOT.2015.34.17.jpg
Eleusine coracana (MHNT)

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an annual herbaceous plant widely grown as a cereal crop in the arid and semiarid areas in Africa and Asia. It is a tetraploid and self-pollinating species probably evolved from its wild relative Eleusine africana. [2]

Contents

Finger millet is native to the Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands. [3] Interesting crop characteristics of finger millet are the ability to withstand cultivation at altitudes over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level, its high drought tolerance, and the long storage time of the grains. [2]

History

Finger millet originated in East Africa (Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands). It was claimed to have been found in an Indian archaeological site dated to 1800 BCE (Late Bronze Age); [4] however, this was subsequently demonstrated to be incorrectly identified cleaned grains of hulled millets. [5] [6] The oldest record of finger millet comes from an archaeological site in Africa dating to the 3rd millennium B.C. [7]

By 1996, cultivation of finger millet in Africa was declining rapidly because of the large amount of labor it required, with farmers preferring to grow nutritionally-inferior but less labor-intensive crops such as maize, sorghum, and cassava. [2] :39–40 Such a decline was not seen in Asia, however. [2] :42

Taxonomy and botanical description

Finger millet is under the genus Eleusine Gaertn. [8] [9]

Growing regions

Main cultivation areas are parts of eastern and southern Africa particularly Uganda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania  and parts of India and Nepal. [2] :42,52 It is also grown in southern Sudan [2] :39 and "as far south" in Africa as Mozambique. [2] :56

Climate requirements

Finger millet is a short-day plant with a growing optimum 12 hours of daylight for most varieties. Its main growing area ranges from 20°N to 20°S, meaning mainly the semiarid to arid tropics. Nevertheless, finger millet is found to be grown at 30°N in the Himalaya region (India and Nepal). It is generally considered as a drought-tolerant crop, but compared with other millets, such as pearl millet and sorghum, it prefers moderate rainfall (500 millimetres (20 in) annually). The majority of worldwide finger millet farmers grow it rainfed, although yields often can be significantly improved when irrigation is applied. In India, finger millet is a typical rabi (dry-winter season) crop. Heat tolerance of finger millet is high. For Ugandan finger millet varieties, for instance, the optimal average growth temperature ranges at about 27 °C, while the minimal temperatures should not be lower than 18 °C. Relative to other species (pearl millet and sorghum), finger millet has a higher tolerance to cool temperatures. It is grown from about 500 to 2,400 metres (1,600 to 7,900 ft) above sea level (e.g. in Himalaya region). Hence, it can be cultivated on higher elevations than most tropical crops. Finger millet can grow on various soils, including highly weathered tropical lateritic soils. It thrives in free-draining soils with steady moisture levels. Furthermore, it can tolerate soil salinity up to a certain extent. Its ability to bear waterlogging is limited, so good drainage of the soils and moderate water-holding capacity are optimal. [2] Finger millet can tolerate moderately acidic soils (pH 5), but also moderately alkaline soils (pH 8.2). [10]

Cropping systems

Fields of finger millet in the Annapurna region of Nepal Millet fields in Annapurna.png
Fields of finger millet in the Annapurna region of Nepal

Finger millet monocrops grown under rainfed conditions are most common in drier areas of Eastern Africa. In addition, intercropping with legumes, such as cowpea or pigeon pea, are also quite common in East Africa. Tropical Central Africa supports scattered regions of finger millet intercropping mostly with legumes, but also with cassava, plantain, and vegetables. [2]

Most common finger millet intercropping systems in South India are as follows:[ citation needed ]

Weeds

Weeds are the major biotic stresses for finger millet cultivation. Its seeds are very small, which leads to a relatively slow development in early growing stages. This makes finger millet a weak competitor for light, water, and nutrients compared with weeds. [11] In East and Southern Africa, the closely related species Eleusine indica (common name Indian goose grass) is a severe weed competitor of finger millet. Especially in early growing stages of the crop and the weed and when broadcast seeding instead of row seeding is applied (as often the case in East Africa), the two species are very difficult to distinguish. [2] Besides Eleusine indica , the species Xanthium strumarium, which is animal dispersed and the stolon-owning species Cyperus rotondus and Cynodon dactylon are important finger millet weeds. [11] Measures to control weeds include cultural, physical, and chemical methods. Cultural methods could be sowing in rows instead of broadcast sowing to make distinction between finger millet seedlings and E. indica easier when hand weeding. [2] ICRISAT promotes cover crops and crop rotations to disrupt the growing cycle of the weeds. Physical weed control in financial resource-limited communities growing finger millet are mainly hand weeding or weeding with a hand hoe. [11]

Diseases and pests

Finger millet is generally seen as not very prone to diseases and pests. Nonetheless, finger millet blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea (anamorph Pyricularia grisea ), can locally cause severe damages, especially when untreated. [2] In Uganda, yield losses up to 80% were reported in bad years. The pathogen leads to drying out of leaves, neck rots, and ear rots. [11] These symptoms can drastically impair photosynthesis, translocation of photosynthetic assimilates, and grain filling, so reduce yield and grain quality. Finger millet blast can also infest finger millet weeds such as the closely related E. indica, E. africana, Digitaria spp., Setaria spp., and Doctylocterium spp. [11] [12] Finger millet blast can be controlled with cultural measures, chemical treatments, and the use of resistant varieties. Researchers in Kenya have screened wild relatives of finger millet and landraces for resistance to blast. [13] Cultural measures to control finger millet blast suggested by ICRISAT for Eastern Africa include crop rotations with nonhost crops such as legumes, deep ploughing under of finger millet straw on infected fields, washing of field tools after use to prevent dissemination of the pathogen to uninfected fields, weed control to reduce infections by weed hosts, and avoiding of high plant densities to impede the pathogen dispersal from plant to plant. [11] Chemical measures can be direct spraying of systemic fungicides, such as the active ingredients pyroquilon or seed dressings with fungicides, such as trycyclozole. [11] [14]

Striga, a parasitic weed which occurs naturally in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia, can severely affect the crop and yield losses in finger millet and other cereals by 20 to 80%. [15] Striga can be controlled with limited success by hand weeding, herbicide application, crop rotations, improved soil fertility, intercropping and biological control. [16] The most economically feasible and environmentally friendly control measure would be to develop and use Striga-resistant cultivars. [17] Striga resistant genes have not been identified yet in cultivated finger millet but could be found in crop wild relatives of finger millet. [18] Another pathogen in finger millet cultivation is the fungus Helminthosporium nodulosum , causing leaf blight. [10] Finger millet pests are bird predators, such as quelea in East Africa. [2]

Insects

The pink stem borer ( Sesamia inferens ) and the finger millet shoot fly ( Atherigona miliaceae ) [19] are considered as the most relevant insect pests in finger millet cultivation. [10] Measures to control Sesamia inferens are uprooting of infected plants, destroying of stubbles, having a crop rotation, chemical control with insecticides, biological measures such as pheromone traps, or biological pest control with the use of antagonistic organisms (e.g. Sturmiopsis inferens ). [20]

Other insect pests include: [21]

Root feeders
Shoot and stem feeders
Leaf feeders
Sucking pests

Propagation and sowing

Ragi Plant Ragi Plant.jpg
Ragi Plant

Propagation in finger millet farming is done mainly by seeds. In rainfed cropping, four sowing methods are used: [22]

Harvest

Finger millet sprays in Uganda A handful of hope in Gulu, northern Uganda (6721454911).jpg
Finger millet sprays in Uganda

Crop does not mature uniformly and hence the harvest is to be taken up in two stages. When the earhead on the main shoot and 50% of the earheads on the crop turn brown, the crop is ready for the first harvest. At the first harvest, all earheads that have turned brown should be cut. After this drying, threshing and cleaning the grains by winnowing. The second harvest is around seven days after the first. All earheads, including the green ones, should be cut. The grains should then be cured to obtain maturity by heaping the harvested earheads in shade for one day without drying, so that the humidity and temperature increase and the grains get cured. After this drying, threshing and cleaning as after the first harvesting. [2]

Storage

Once harvested, the seeds keep extremely well and are seldom attacked by insects or moulds. Finger millet can be kept for up to 10 years when it is unthreshed. Some sources report a storage duration up to 50 years under good storage conditions. [2] The long storage capacity makes finger millet an important crop in risk-avoidance strategies as a famine crop for farming communities. [2]

Processing

Milling

As a first step of processing finger millet can be milled to produce flour. However, finger millet is difficult to mill due to the small size of the seeds and because the bran is bound very tightly to the endosperm. Furthermore, the delicate seed can get crushed during the milling. The development of commercial mechanical milling systems for finger millet is challenging. Therefore, the main product of finger millet is whole grain flour. This has disadvantages, such as reduced storage time of the flour due to the high oil content. Furthermore, the industrial use of whole grain finger millet flour is limited. Moistening the millet seeds prior to grinding helps to remove the bran mechanically without causing damage to the rest of the seed. The mini millet mill can also be used to process other grains such as wheat and sorghum.[ citation needed ]

Malting

Another method to process the finger millet grain is germinating the seed. This process is also called malting and is very common in the production of brewed beverages such as beer. When finger millet is germinated, enzymes are activated, which transfer starches into other carbohydrates such as sugars. Finger millet has a good malting activity. The malted finger millet can be used as a substrate to produce for example gluten-free beer or easily digestible food for infants. [2]

Finger millet in its commonly consumed form as a porridge Ragi Porridge.jpg
Finger millet in its commonly consumed form as a porridge

Nutrition

Finger millet
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 1,283 kJ (307 kcal)
53.5 g
Dietary fiber 22.6 g
Fat
1.9 g
7.4 g
Vitamins and minerals
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
26%
344 mg
Iron
63%
11.3 mg
Magnesium
37%
154 mg
Phosphorus
15%
183 mg
Potassium
18%
538 mg
Sodium
0%
2 mg
Zinc
15%
1.7 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water11 g

Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [23] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [24]

Finger millet is 11% water, 7% protein, 54% carbohydrates, and 2% fat (table). In a 100 gram (3.5 oz) reference amount, finger millet supplies 305 calories, and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of dietary fiber and several dietary minerals, especially iron at 87% DV (table).

Growing finger millet to improve nutrition

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), a member of the CGIAR consortium, partners with farmers, governments, researchers and NGOs to help farmers grow nutritious crops, including finger millet. This helps their communities have more balanced diets and become more resilient to pests and drought. For example, the Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement of Sorghum and Millets in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (HOPE) project is increasing yields of finger millet in Tanzania by encouraging farmers to grow improved varieties. [25]

Use

Finger millet can be ground into a flour and cooked into cakes, puddings or porridge. The flour is made into a fermented drink (or beer) in Nepal and in many parts of Africa. The straw from finger millet is used as animal fodder.

In India

Balls of dense finger millet porridge (ragi mudde) in Karnataka RAGI MUDDE.JPG
Balls of dense finger millet porridge (ragi mudde) in Karnataka

Finger millet is a staple grain in many parts of India, especially Karnataka, where it is known as ragi (from Kannada ರಾಗಿ rāgi). It is malted and its grain is ground into flour.

There are numerous ways to prepare finger millet, including dosa, idli, and laddu. In southern India, on pediatrician's recommendation, finger millet is used in preparing baby food, because of millet's high nutritional content, especially iron and calcium. Satva, pole (dosa), bhakri, ambil (a sour porridge), and pappad are common dishes made using finger millet. In Karnataka, finger millet is generally consumed in the form of a porridge called ragi mudde in Kannada. It is the staple diet of many residents of South Karnataka. Mudde is prepared by cooking the ragi flour with water to achieve a dough-like consistency. This is then rolled into balls of desired size and consumed with sambar (huli), saaru (ಸಾರು), or curries. Ragi is also used to make roti, idli, dosa and conjee. In the Malnad region of Karnataka, the whole ragi grain is soaked and the milk is extracted to make a dessert known as keelsa. A type of flat bread is prepared using finger millet flour (called ragi rotti in Kannada) in Northern districts of Karnataka.

In Tamil Nadu, ragi is called kezhvaragu (கேழ்வரகு) and also has other names like keppai, ragi, and ariyam. [26] Ragi is dried, powdered, and boiled to form a thick mass that is allowed to cool. This is the famed kali or keppai kali. This is made into large balls to quantify the intake. It is taken with sambar or kuzhambu. For children, ragi is also fed with milk and sugar (malt). It is also made in the form of pancakes with chopped onions and tomatoes. Kezhvaragu is used to make puttu with jaggery or sugar. Ragi is called koozh – a staple diet in farming communities, eaten along with raw onions and green chillies. In Andhra Pradesh, ragi sankati or ragi muddha – ragi balls – are eaten in the morning with chilli, onions, and sambar. In Kerala, puttu, a traditional breakfast dish, can be made with ragi flour and grated coconut, which is then steamed in a cylindrical steamer. In the tribal and western hilly regions of Odisha, ragi or mandiaa is a staple food. In the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand, koda or maduwa is made into thick rotis (served with ghee), and also made into badi, which is similar to halwa but without sugar. In the Kumaon region, ragi is traditionally fed to women after child birth. In some parts of Kumaon region the ragi flour is used to make various snacks like namkeen sev, mathri and chips .

Ragi flour

To make the flour, ragi is graded and washed. It is allowed to dry naturally in sunlight for 5 to 8 hours. It is then powdered. Ragi porridge, ragi halwa, ragi ela ada, and ragi kozhukatta can be made with ragi flour. [27] All-purpose flour can be replaced with ragi flour during baking. Ragi cake and ragi biscuits can be prepared. [28] The flour is consumed with milk, boiled water, or yogurt. The flour is made into flatbreads, including thin, leavened dosa and thicker, unleavened roti.

In South and Far East Asia

In Nepal, a thick dough (ḍhĩḍo) made of millet flour (kōdō) is cooked and eaten by hand. The dough, on other hand, can be made into thick bread (rotee) spread over flat utensil and heating it. Fermented millet is used to make a beer chhaang and the mash is distilled to make a liquor (rakśiशी). Whole grain millet is fermented to make tongba. Its use in holy Hindu practices is barred especially by upper castes. In Nepal, the National Plant Genetic Resource Centre at Khumaltar maintains 877 accessions (samples) of Nepalese finger millet (kodo). [29] [30]

In Sri Lanka, finger millet is called kurakkan and is made into kurakkan roti – an earthy brown thick roti with coconut and thallapa – a thick dough made of ragi by boiling it with water and some salt until like a dough ball. It is then eaten with a spicy meat curry and is usually swallowed in small balls, rather than chewing. It is also eaten as a porridge (kurrakan kenda) and as a sweet called 'Halape'. In northwest Vietnam, finger millet is used as a medicine for women at childbirth. A minority use finger millet flour to make alcohol.

As beverage

Ragi malt porridge is made from finger millet which is soaked and shadow dried, then roasted and ground. This preparation is boiled in water and used as a substitute for milk powder-based beverages.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cereal</span> Grass that has edible grain

A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize. Edible grains from other plant families, such as buckwheat and quinoa, are pseudocereals. Most cereals are annuals, producing one crop from each planting, though rice is sometimes grown as a perennial. Winter varieties are hardy enough to be planted in the autumn, becoming dormant in the winter, and harvested in spring or early summer; spring varieties are planted in spring and harvested in late summer. The term cereal is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of grain crops and fertility, Ceres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millet</span> Group of grasses (food grain)

Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proso millet</span> Species of grass

Panicum miliaceum is a grain crop with many common names, including proso millet, broomcorn millet, common millet, hog millet, Kashfi millet, red millet, and white millet. Archaeobotanical evidence suggests millet was first domesticated about 10,000 BP in Northern China. Major cultivated areas include Northern China, Himachal Pradesh of India, Nepal, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Middle East, Turkey, Romania, and the Great Plains states of the United States. About 500,000 acres are grown each year. The crop is notable both for its extremely short lifecycle, with some varieties producing grain only 60 days after planting, and its low water requirements, producing grain more efficiently per unit of moisture than any other grain species tested. The name "proso millet" comes from the pan-Slavic general and generic name for millet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porridge</span> Food

Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal, or it can be mixed with spices, meat, or vegetables to make a savoury dish. It is usually served hot in a bowl, depending on its consistency. Oat porridge, or oatmeal, is one of the most common types of porridge. Gruel is a thinner version of porridge and congee is a savoury variation of porridge of Asian origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearl millet</span> Species of cultivated grass

Pearl millet is the most widely grown type of millet. It has been grown in Africa and the Indian subcontinent since prehistoric times. The center of diversity, and suggested area of domestication, for the crop is in the Sahel zone of West Africa. Recent archaeobotanical research has confirmed the presence of domesticated pearl millet on the Sahel zone of northern Mali between 2500 and 2000 BC. 2023 was the International Year of Millets, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics</span> International research organization

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is an international organisation which conducts agricultural research for rural development, headquartered in Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, with several regional centres and research stations . It was founded in 1972 by a consortium of organisations convened by the Ford- and the Rockefeller- foundations. Its charter was signed by the FAO and the UNDP.

<i>Digitaria exilis</i> Species of grass

Digitaria exilis, referred to as findi or fundi in areas of Africa, such as The Gambia, with English common names white fonio, fonio millet, and hungry rice or acha rice, is a grass species. It is the most important of a diverse group of wild and domesticated Digitaria species known as fonio that are harvested in the savannas of West Africa. The grains are very small. It has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable use of the land. Despite its valuable characteristics and widespread cultivation, fonio has generally received limited research and development attention, which is also why the species is sometimes referred to as an underutilized crop.

<i>Striga</i> Genus of flowering plants belonging to the broomrape family

Striga, commonly known as witchweed, is a genus of parasitic plants that occur naturally in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia. It is currently classified in the family Orobanchaceae, although older classifications place it in the Scrophulariaceae. Some species are serious pathogens of cereal crops, with the greatest effects being in savanna agriculture in Africa. It also causes considerable crop losses in other regions, including other tropical and subtropical crops in its native range and in the Americas. The generic name derives from Latin strī̆ga, "witch".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian bread</span> Wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine

Indian breads are a wide variety of flatbreads and crêpes which are an integral part of Indian cuisine. Their variation reflects the diversity of Indian culture and food habits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Push–pull agricultural pest management</span> Intercropping strategy for controlling agricultural pests

Push–pull technology is an intercropping strategy for controlling agricultural pests by using repellent "push" plants and trap "pull" plants. For example, cereal crops like maize or sorghum are often infested by stem borers. Grasses planted around the perimeter of the crop attract and trap the pests, whereas other plants, like Desmodium, planted between the rows of maize, repel the pests and control the parasitic plant Striga. Push–pull technology was developed at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Kenya in collaboration with Rothamsted Research, UK. and national partners. This technology has been taught to smallholder farmers through collaborations with universities, NGOs and national research organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorghum</span> Species of grain

Sorghum bicolor, commonly called sorghum and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the grass genus Sorghum cultivated for its grain. The grain is used for food for humans; the plant is used for animal feed and ethanol production. Sorghum originated in Africa, and is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions.

<i>Eleusine indica</i> Species of plant (grass)

Eleusine indica, the Indian goosegrass, yard-grass, goosegrass, wiregrass, or crowfootgrass, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is a small annual grass distributed throughout the warmer areas of the world to about 50 degrees latitude. It is an invasive species in some areas.

<i>Eleusine</i> Genus of grasses

Eleusine is a genus of Asian, African, and South American plants in the grass family, sometimes called by the common name goosegrass. One species, Eleusine indica, is a widespread weed in many places. Another species, Eleusine coracana, is finger millet, cultivated as a cereal grain in India and parts of Africa.

<i>Paspalum scrobiculatum</i> Species of grass

Paspalum scrobiculatum, commonly called kodo millet or koda millet, is an annual grain that is grown primarily in Nepal and also in India, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and in West Africa from where it originated. It is grown as a minor crop in most of these areas, with the exception of the Deccan plateau in India where it is grown as a major food source. It is a very hardy crop that is drought tolerant and can survive on marginal soils where other crops may not survive, and can supply 450–900 kg of grain per hectare. Kodo millet has large potential to provide nourishing food to subsistence farmers in Africa and elsewhere.

<i>Striga hermonthica</i> Species of flowering plant

Striga hermonthica, commonly known as purple witchweed or giant witchweed, is a hemiparasitic plant that belongs to the family Orobanchaceae. It is devastating to major crops such as sorghum and rice. In sub-Saharan Africa, apart from sorghum and rice, it also infests maize, pearl millet, and sugar cane.

Mudigere is a village in Gubbi taluk in the Tumkur district in the Indian state of Karnataka.

Sorghum is an important staple crop for more than 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including many people in Nepal. In statistics collected from 1992 to 1994 about general millet, Nepal had an area of 0.21 million ha, with a yield rate of 1.14 (t/ha), and produced around 0.24 million tons of sorghum. The entirety of the crop is highly valued, with both the grain and the stem being utilized. The Terai region of Nepal tends to be more tropical which is ideal for the growth of sorghum. It tolerates hot climates better than maize or soybeans. For subsistence farmers, like those in Nepal, fertilizers are not necessary and the crop is frequently harvested by hand.

<i>Leptocorisa acuta</i> Species of true bug

Leptocorisa acuta, the paddy earhead bug, is a species of bug recorded from northern Australia, Malesia and Taiwan. Its basionym is Cimex acutus and it is now placed in the family Alydidae. One of several rice bug species, it may be confused with Leptocorisa oratoria.

<i>Urochloa ramosa</i> Species of grass

Urochloa ramosa, the browntop millet or Dixie signalgrass, is an annual, millet grass belonging to the grass family (Poaceae). The native range of Urochloa ramosa is from Africa to tropical and subtropical Asia.

References

  1. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species" . Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Borlaug, Norman E.; Axtell, John; Burton, Glenn W.; Harlan, Jack R.; Rachie, Kenneth O.; Vietmeyer, Noel D. (1996). Lost Crops of Africa: Volume I: Grains. U.S. National Research Council Consensus Study Report. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press (NAP). doi: 10.17226/2305 . ISBN   978-0-309-04990-0. LCCN   93-86876. OCLC   934889803. OL   9872024M.
  3. A.C. D'Andrea, D.E. Lyons, Mitiku Haile, E.A. Butler, "Ethnoarchaeological Approaches to the Study of Prehistoric Agriculture in the Ethiopian Highlands" in Van der Veen, ed., The Exploitation of Plant Resources in Ancient Africa. Kluwer Academic: Plenum Publishers, New York City, 1999.
  4. K.T. Achaya (2003). The Story of Our Food. Universities Press. p. 21. ISBN   978-81-7371-293-7.
  5. Fuller, Dorian Q. (June 2001). "Harappan seeds and agriculture: some considerations". Antiquity. 75 (288): 410–414. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00061068. S2CID   161052214.
  6. Fuller, Dorian Q. (2003). "African crops in prehistoric South Asia: a critical review". In Neumann, Katharina; Butler, Ann; Kahlheber, Stefanie (eds.). Food, Fuel and Fields: Progress in African Archaeobotany (PDF). Africa Praehistorica 15. Heinrich-Barth-Institut. pp. 239–272. ISBN   3-927688-20-7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  7. Hilu, K. W.; de Wet, J. M. J.; Harlan, J. R. Harlan (1979). "Archaeobotanical Studies of Eleusine coracana ssp. coracana (Finger Millet)". American Journal of Botany . 66 (3): 330–333. doi:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1979.tb06231.x. JSTOR   2442610.
  8. Hilu, Khidir W.; Johnson, John L. (1997). "Systematics of Eleusine Gaertn. (Poaceae: Chloridoideae): Chloroplast DNA and Total Evidence". Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden . 84 (4): 841. doi:10.2307/2992029. JSTOR   2992029.
  9. Bisht, M. S.; Mukai, Y. (2002-10-01). "Genome organization and polyploid evolution in the genus Eleusine (Poaceae)". Plant Systematics and Evolution . 233 (3): 243–258. doi:10.1007/s00606-002-0201-5. ISSN   1615-6110. S2CID   45763855.
  10. 1 2 3 H.D. Upadhyaya; V. Gopal Reddy & D.V.S.S.R. Sastry (2008). "Regeneration guidelines Fingermillet". Crop Specific Regeneration Guidelines via ICRISAT+CGIAR.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mgonja A, Ojulong M, Audi P, Manyasa E, Ojulong H (2011). "INTEGRATED BLAST AND WEED MANAGEMENT AND MICRODOSING IN FINGER MILLET: A HOPE PROJECT MANUAL FOR INCREASING FINGER MILLET PRODUCTIVITY IN EASTERN AFRICA". ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics).
  12. Takan JP, Muthumeenakshi S, Sreenivasaprasad S, Talbot NJ (2004). "Molecular markers and mating type assays to characterise finger millet blast pathogen populations in East Africa". Poster Presented at British Mycological Society (BMS) Meeting, "Fungi in the Environment", Nottingham.
  13. Dida, Mathews M.; Oduori, Chrispus A.; Manthi, Samuel J.; Avosa, Millicent O.; Mikwa, Erick O.; Ojulong, Henry F.; Odeny, Damaris A. (2021). "Novel sources of resistance to blast disease in finger millet". Crop Science. 61 (1): 250–262. doi: 10.1002/csc2.20378 . ISSN   1435-0653. S2CID   225135026.
  14. Sreenivasaprasad S, Takan JP, Mgonja MA, Manyasa EO, Kaloki P, Wanyera N, Okwade AM, Muthumeenakshi S, Brown AE, Lenné JM (2005). "Enhancing finger millet production and utilisation in East Africa through improved blast management and stakeholder connectivity". Aspects of Applied Biology. 75: 11–22.
  15. Atera, Evans; Itoh, Kazuyuki (May 2011). "Evaluation of ecologies and severity of Striga weed on rice in sub-Saharan Africa". Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America. 2 (5): 752–760. doi: 10.5251/abjna.2011.2.5.752.760 . ISSN   2151-7517.
  16. Haussmann, Bettina IG; Hess, Dale E; Welz, H-Günter; Geiger, Hartwig H (2000-06-01). "Improved methodologies for breeding striga-resistant sorghums" (PDF). Field Crops Research. 66 (3): 195–211. doi:10.1016/S0378-4290(00)00076-9. ISSN   0378-4290. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.
  17. Wilson, J. P.; Hess, D. E.; Hanna, W. W. (October 2000). "Resistance to Striga hermonthica in Wild Accessions of the Primary Gene Pool of Pennisetum glaucum". Phytopathology. 90 (10): 1169–1172. doi: 10.1094/PHYTO.2000.90.10.1169 . ISSN   0031-949X. PMID   18944482.
  18. Kuiper, Eric; Groot, Alexia; Noordover, Esther C.M.; Pieterse, Arnold H.; Verkleij, Joe A.C. (1998). "Tropical grasses vary in their resistance to Striga aspera, Striga hermonthica, and their hybrids". Canadian Journal of Botany. 76 (12): 2131–2144. doi:10.1139/cjb-76-12-2131. ISSN   1480-3305.
  19. Kalaisekar, A.; Padmaja, P.G.; Bhagwat, V.R.; Patil, J.V. (2017). Insect Pests of Millets: Systematics, Bionomics, and Management. Academic Press. ISBN   978-0-12-804243-4.
  20. Samiksha, S. "Pink Stem Borer (Sesamia inference): Nature, Life Cycle and Control".
  21. Kalaisekar, A (2017). Insect pests of millets: systematics, bionomics, and management. London: Elsevier. ISBN   978-0-12-804243-4. OCLC   967265246.
  22. "Finger Millet Farming". Agri Farming India. 2015-05-18.
  23. United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  24. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154. Archived from the original on 2024-05-09. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  25. "Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement (HOPE) of Sorghum and Millets – ICRISAT". www.icrisat.org. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  26. "Live Chennai: Health benefits of millet (Ragi),Health benefits of millet,Health benefits of Ragi,Health benefits,Ragi".
  27. The Hindu, Life & Style (23 July 2015). "Food". Parvathy Menon. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  28. THE HINDU, New states (18 February 2017). "Thinking beyond finger millet flour gruel". Rani Devalla. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  29. Bastola, Biswash Raj; Pandey, M. P.; Ojha, B. R.; Ghimire, S. K.; Baral, K. (2015-06-25). "Phenotypic Diversity of Nepalese Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) Accessions at IAAS, Rampur, Nepal". International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology. 3 (2): 285–290. doi: 10.3126/ijasbt.v3i2.12413 . ISSN   2091-2609.
  30. LI-BIRD. "Released and promising crop varieties for mountain agriculture in Nepal" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09.