origin of finger millet

Read full article By Yerroju Sridevi @ Pinnacle IHM Photo Credit: ICRISAT Finger millet popularly referred to as Ragi in Telugu, has taken its origin in Africa and later spread […] Interesting crop characteristics of finger millet are the ability to withstand cultivation at altitudes over 2000 meters above sea level. A brief history of millets Millet grains have been discovered in pots used for storing grans and seeds discovered at archaeological sites in present day China, India, Europe and different parts of Africa. Finger millet [Eleusine coracana(L.) Gaertn. Finger millet is a robust, tufted, tillering annual grass and the inflorescence is a panicle with 4-19 finger-like spikes that resembles a fist when mature, hence it is named as finger millet. These samples were from two … The crop is grown mainly by subsistence farmers and serves as a food security crop because of high nutritional value and … West African terms for finger-millet 5 Table 7. The plants produces clusters of 4 to 6 ears, which are 5 to 15 cm long. Until the large scale investments in paddy and wheat promotion through the green revolution, millets were the staple grains of large sections of the population that did not have access to assured irrigation for their lands. Interesting crop characteristics of finger millet are the ability to withstand cultivation at altitudes over 2000 m above sea level, its high drought tolerance, and the long storage time of the grains. It is grown for hay in North America and western Europe, and it is an important food crop in China and other Asian countries. africana but questioned Eleusine indica as … Eleusine coracana ssp. Together with corn, finger millet is used in Kenya to brew opaque beers. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! India leads as the largest producer of finger millet in the world. Finger millet is the fourth millet in terms of worldwide production after sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) (Upadhyaya et al., 2007). Immature millet grains - why remove when processing? Finger millet usually is between 40 and 100 cm high. In some regions finger millet is used for human consumption as a staple food. One finds many millet preparations in traditional cuisines surviving to this day in different parts of India, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Turkey, Russia, Ethiopia, etc. Millet grains have been discovered in pots used for storing grans and seeds discovered at archaeological sites in present day China, India, Europe and different parts of Africa. Finger millet grains — Specification. coracana (finger millet, eleusine) is widely distributed in Africa and India as a cereal. Taiwanese names for finger-millet 8 MAPS Map 1. The seeds can be stored for a long time. Millets are indigenous to many parts of the world. Distribution: Finger millet is cultivated in the drier areas of Africa and Asia, with highest production in India. It is believed that Ethiopia or a neighboring region (Uganda) is the center of origin of finger millet, but in India, it was introduced probably over 3000 yr ago. It is a hardy crop that can be grown in very diverse environments from almost at sea level to about 2400 m.a.s.l. Of these six are diploids and five are tetraploids. 1eusine corocana . With growing health consciousness, environmental concern, and the pressing need for updating our food systems to survive climate change, millets, probably the earliest of cereal grains that humans started domesticating, are making a comeback. The oldest record of finger millet comes from an archaeological site in Africa dating to the 8th century AD. The study supports the direct origin of finger millet from subspecies africana shows E. indica to be one of the genome donors of the crop, and demonstrates that none of the other species examined could have donated the second genome of the crop. is a small cereal grain grown in the semi-arid sub- tropical and tropical regions of Africa and Asia where it is one of the cereal staples (ICRISAT/FAO 1996, Obilana and Manyasa 2002). Uses. We find millets popping up in literature, sculptures, paintings,  folk songs and religious compositions from different times and geographies. Finger millet roots in the Bantu-speaking area 4 Map 2. Finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] It is believed that Ethiopia or a neighboring region (Uganda) is the center of origin of finger millet, but in India, it was introduced probably over 3000 yr ago. Finger millet is often used for human consumption, sometimes as a staple food. Finger millet is a cereal grown mainly in drier regions of Africa and Asia. However, in Africa, finger millet is second and represents 19% of millet … The most widely grown millet is pearl millet, which is an important c Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) ssp. ],a widely grown traditional and highly nutritious grain cereal cultivated in the semiarid areas of Eastern and Southern Africa and - Table 5. A recent cytogenetic study confirmed the direct origin of this millet from the tetraploid E. coracana subsp. Scientific   Eleusine coracanaEnglish   African millet   Finger millet   Koracan   RagiDutch   VingergierstFrench   Coracan   Éleusine   Eleusine cultivee   KoracanGerman   Fingerhirse, Genus   EleusineFamily   PoaceaeOrder   Poales. Considering how likely it would be that early humans would be able to access dry, rain fed lands as compared to wetlands, it becomes apparent that millets would be the go to grains to meet dietary needs. is an important cereal food crop in Africa and South Asia. Finger millet is an important food crop grown in rain-fed uplands in the Dry zone and Intermediate zone of Sri Lanka. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an important food grain in southern Asia and parts of Africa. The reasons for its decline is its low yields compared to maizeand to the tedious nature of tradi… Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and the changes in blood sugar levels, Dehusking small millets - its what we retain that matters. The plant is native to Africa, Asia, Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands. The crop is cultivated in diverse eco‐geographical areas. Finger Millet is probably of Indian or African origin. About finger millet • Finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] is an important subsistence cereal in parts of Africa and south Asia. Finger-millet in India 6 Map 3. Distribution of finger-millet in ISEA 8 Map 4. Millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa, with 97% of millet production in developing countries. Ethiopian terms for finger-millet 5 Table 6. Several small grain cereals are all known by the name “Millet” but are actually different crop species. and central Africa. It is still a major crop among the Kuria, Ilchamus, West Pokot District, Tugen, and Marakwet. It is widely cultivated in tropical Asia and East Africa and on the rainy slopes of the Himalayas up to 2300 m elevation. Over this range of distribution, eleusine displays high variability in vegetative, floral and seed morphology. In some cases it may have been a nickname for someone suffering from a skin disease, with blisters resembling grains of millet. When compared to other cereal grains, millets do not ask much from the soil, are rain fed, and are not susceptible to pests either in the field or during storage. Experts often refer to finger millet as a famine crop due to … coracana, belongs to the family Poaceae, genus Eleusine in the tribe Eragrostideae. Finger millet originates from east Africa, possibly Uganda or Ethiopia. Seeds are also used as animal feed. Finger Millet is the main food grain for many peoples as it is higher in protein, fat and minerals than rice, corn or sorghum. Finger millet (Eleusine corocana subsp. Finger millet is an important staple food in parts of East and Central Africa, and India, particularly in Karnataka. While pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet and foxtail millets come in the category of being the major millets, others such as sama, qodo, chinna etc., are considered minor millets. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) This adaptation to short cultivation times is probably what made this the staple grain of nomadic communities across the Central Asia, spreading far as these tribes moved from place to place. Millets have been a good part of the staple diet among many communities across the world. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. coracana), an important cereal in East Africa and India, is a tetraploid species with unknown genomic components. Finger millet [Eleucine coracana(L.) Gaertn.] Finger millet is often grown intercropped with other plants such as peanut, cowpea, pigeon pea and Niger seeds. This East African Standard specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and test for finger millet grains of varieties (cultivars) grown from Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertner intended for human consumption, i.e., ready for its intended use as human food, presented in packaged form or sold loose from the package directly to the consumer. Finger millet originates from east Africa, possibly Uganda or Ethiopia. Origin. Fruits, vegetables, cereals and other agricultural crops. Cereals Food crops Tropical crops Staple food Forage and fodder crops, Your email address will not be published. Finger millet may also be known as ragi, African millet, or by its technical name of eleusine caracana. Finger millet (2n = 4x = 36), subsp. Place of Origin: India Classification : The genus Eleusine consists of eleven species. Cultivated finger millet was domesticated about 5 000 years ago from the wild subspecies in the highlands that range from Ethiopia to Uganda. Native to Africa, finger millet is a grain that grows well in arid climates and high altitudes. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) The oldest evidence for finger millet dates to 3000 BC from what is now central Sudan where this grain was domesticated. • Cultivated in 23 countries on 3.38 million ha producing 3.76 m t mainly in Africa and Asia. The species has two subspecies, africana (Kenn.-O’Byrne) K.W. iv. Seeds are used to make flour which can be used to make bread, porridge or pancakes. Finger millet is a traditional crop of many ethnic groups in Kenya, but "nowadays grown to a relatively smaller extent than before." The Millet Foundation is a public charitable trust registered in Bengaluru, India. Finger millet is cultivated in the drier areas of Africa and Asia, with highest production in India. Cultivated finger millet is highly variable within its primary centre of origin in Africa and secondary centre in Indian sub-continent. Finger millet commonly known as ragi and mandua in India is one of the minor cereals a native of Ethiopia, but grown extensively in various regions of India and Africa, constitutes as a staple food that supply a major portion of calories and protein to large segments of the population in these countries especially for people of low income groups. In fact, as we move forward in time, we see that as agricultural communities were able to avail of irrigation, more and more of them have lose out on their millet heritage. It is an organization supporting players in the millet value chain seeking technical resources and promotional materials. Millets have been a good part of the staple diet among many communities across the world. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) has small pointed seeds. Finger millet originated in East Africa (Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands) and came to India around 2000 BCE. Indian and East Asian names for finger-millet 7 Table 8. According to the US National Research corocana) were obtained from the millet quality trials in Cinzana , Mali, in 1983. features of the finger millet utricle in greater detai 1 than has previously been published. Usually harvested by hand. Required fields are marked *. Many of the minor millets are endangered, as they are getting depleted, and some of them have even totally been eliminated.” Each millet has an importance of its own. It is a tetraploid species with 2n=36, and self-pollinating. belongs to family Poaceae. About the System of Finger Millet (Ragi) Intensification . Millets are extremely hardy crops with some, like Proso millet, needing just 70 days to be ready for harvest. Materia Is and Methods Samp 1 es - -T-hree 10 g samples finger millet (E . Domesticated finger millet was then also farmed in the lowlands of Africa. It belongs to the Poaceae family, Chloridoideae sub-family The species has two subspecies; africana and coracana . It is ground to flour which can be used to prepare bread or porridge. Finger millet grows well in semi-arid tropical climates and is also adapted to high altitude in mountainous regions. It was claimed to have been found in an Indian archaeological site dated to 1800 BCE (Late Bronze Age); however, this was subsequently demonstrated to be incorrectly identified. is a cereal grass grown mostly for its grain, which is a staple food in many African and South Asian countries (for information concerning the feed uses of the grain, see the Finger millet, grain datasheet). The crop is grown mainly by subsis- Basic Species Information Finger millet is the common English name of the crop Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., a domesticated cereal of African origin which spreads in prehistory to Asia, also sometimes referred to as korakan or ragi (a widespread local name in India) or dagusa (in Ethiopia). 1 Scope. Although finger millet is one of the most ancient domesticated plants in Africa (Hilu, DeWet, and Harlan, 1979), its lack of genetic variability suggests an origin that is … Millets are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. • The finger millet strategy was initiated in December, 2009 and discussions took place with international, regional and national partners through email discussions … Application of System of Rice Intensification concepts and methods to the growing of finger millet, known in much of India as ragi, was one of the first extensions of SRI thinking, starting in India, but then also undertaken in Ethiopia.Finger millet is a major cereal crop for the poor in both South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The crop is favored due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions. • A very important crop in Uganda, Nepal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and India. French and English: from a pet form of the personal name Miles. However, it was grown since ancient times as a traditional food for the Keiyo, Marakwet, West Pokot, Tugen, Giriama, Taveta, Teso, Luo, Luhya, Kisii, Kikuyu, Ilchamus, Embu, Taita, Kuria, and Kamba. In India, some millet or the other continues to be a significant (but fast eroding) part of adivasi / tribal communities’ diets in different parts of the subcontinent. The seeds are also used as animal fodder. Finger millet has an excellent food value as its seeds contain protein ranging from 7 to 14% and are particularly rich in methionine amino acid, iron, and calcium. … It is used for malting and brewing. Compare the English term miliary fever. Your email address will not be published. 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