Introduction A number of different small-grained cereal grasses are collectively described as ‘Millets’. Millets are one of the oldest cultivated foods known to humans. Two main groups of millets are major millets (sorghum and pearl millet) and small millets based on the grain size. Off late, the classification is also an indication of the area under these crops. Both major and small millets have traditionally been the main components of the food basket of the poor people in India. The group of small millets is represented by six species, namely finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.)), little millet (Panicum sumatrance), kodo millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum (L.)), foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.)), barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (L.)) and proso millet (Panicum miliaceum (L.)), representing the area grown in that order. These crops have traditionally been the indispensable component of dry farming system in India and elsewhere. Small millets are known by different vernacular names at different parts of the country (Table 1). Table 1. Vernacular names of small millets English Finger millet Little millet Kodo millet Foxtail/ Italian millet Barnyard millet Proso millet Hindi Mandua Kutki Kodon Kangni, Kakum Sanwa, Jhangon Barre Sanskrit Nandimukhi, Madhuli - Kodara Kanguni Shyama Chiná Kannada Ragi Same Harka Navane Oodalu Baragu Tamil Kelvaragu Samai Varagu Tenai Kuthiravaali Panivaragu Telugu Ragulu Samalu Arikelu, Arika Korra, Korralu Udalu, Kodisama Varigulu, Varagalu Malayalam Moothari Chama Varagu Thina - Panivaragu Marathi Nachni Sava Kodra Kang, Rala Shamul Vari Gujarati Nagli, Bavto Gajro, Kuri Kodra Kang Sama Cheno Bengali Mandua Kangani Kodo Kaon Shamula Cheena Oriya Mandia Suan Kodua Kanghu, Kora Khira Chinna Punjabi Mandhuka, Mandhal Swank Kodra Kangni Swank Cheena Kashmiri - Ganuhaar Shol - Pingu Geographic distribution Among small millets, finger millet is the most important crop grown in many states of Southern, Central, Eastern, Western and Northern India from sea level in coastal Andhra Pradesh to 8000 feet altitude in Himalayas. The loss of area under finger millet has been less during the past 3 decades but with significant improvement in productivity. On the contrary the area under other small millets has reduced by more than half with proportionate reduction in total production. The productivity remained low and stagnant around 450 kg/ha. Though more recent and accurate statistics regarding each of the small millets is lacking a broad picture is that more than 60% of area under small millets is occupied by finger millet, distantly followed by little and kodo millets (just above 10%) and rest by barnyard, foxtail and proso millets. Though small millets are grown in almost every state/region, the distribution of individual millet is not uniform. The kodo, little and foxtail millets are grown widely in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. In Madhya Pradesh, both kodo and little millet are predominant, while foxtail millet is important in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Barnyard millet and proso millet are grown largely in hills of Uttar Pradesh, North-Eastern region and plains of North Bihar and Western Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Physical properties and nutritional profile The small millets are small seeded grains and resemble paddy or rough rice in the morphological features of kernel. The kernel consists of distinct husk, bran and endosperm tissues. Embryo is a distinct tissue, but its proportion in the kernel is around 2%. The husk is non-edible similar to the husk in rough rice or paddy where as bran may be part of the edible component but is separated to prepare milled millets for food uses. Normally, husk accounts to 15 to 20% of the kernel where as the bran amount to about 5% and the endosperm to about 75% of the kernel, respectively. These grains are round to oval shaped and their 1000-kernel weight and volume range from 1.9 - 5.5 g and 1.3 - 3.8 ml, respectively. The seed coat and husk of foxtail, little and proso millet are generally of single entity with glossy appearance whereas kodo and barnyard millet contain multiple layered seed coat. Normally the seed coat of kodo millet is of brown colour, foxtail millet is yellowish where as the other millets are grayish coloured. The husk is non-edible and unusually hard to digest similar to the husk in paddy, where as the bran is edible. To prepare edible items out of millets, the husk is separated by milling and along with that generally, the bran is also separated similar to milled rice. Hulling does not affect the nutrient value as the germ stays intact through this process (www.smallmillets.res.in). Small millets are more nutritious compared to fine cereals. Finger millet is the richest source of calcium (300-350 mg/100 g) and other small millets are good source of phosphorous and iron. The protein content ranges from 7 to 12% and fat content from 1 to 5.0% (Table 2). The millet protein has well balanced amino acid profile and good source of methionine, cystine and lycine (Table 3). These essential amino acids are of special benefit to those who depend on plant food for their protein nourishment. The millet grain contains about 65% carbohydrate, a high proportion of which is in the form of non starchy polysaccharides and dietary fibre which help in prevention of constipation, lowering of blood cholesterol and slow release of glucose to the blood stream during digestion. Lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcer and hyperglycemia (diabetes) are reported among regular millet consumers. Millet grains are also rich in important vitamins viz., Thiamine, riboflavin, folin and niacin (Table 4). Millets are comparable to rice and wheat or rich in some of the minerals (Table 5) as well as fatty acids (Table 6). Millets vary largely in composition of carbohydrates as proportion of amylose and amylopectin content vary from 16-28% and 72-84%, respectively (Table 7). Table 2. Nutrient composition of millets compared to fine cereals (per 100 g) Food gain Carbo-hydrates (g) Protein(g) Fat(g) Energy (KCal) Crude fibre(g) Mineral matter(g) Ca(mg) P(mg) Fe (mg) Finger millet 72.0 7.3 1.3 328 3.6 2.7 344 283 3.9 Kodo millet 65.9 8.3 1.4 309 9.0 2.6 27 188 0.5 Proso millet 70.4 12.5 1.1 341 2.2 1.9 14 206 0.8 Foxtail millet 60.9 12.3 4.3 331 8.0 3.3 31 290 2.8 Little millet 67.0 7.7 4.7 341 7.6 1.5 17 220 9.3 Barnyard millet 65.5 6.2 2.2 307 9.8 4.4 20 280 5.0 Sorghum 72.6 10.4 1.9 349 1.6 1.6 25 222 4.1 Bajra 67.5 11.6 5.0 361 1.2 2.3 42 296 8.0 Wheat (whole) 71.2 11.8 1.5 346 1.2 1.5 41 306 5.3 Rice (raw, milled) 78.2 6.8 0.5 345 0.2 0.6 10 160 0.7 (Source: Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2007) Table 3. Essential Amino acid profile of Millets (mg/g of N) Millet Arginine Histidine Lysine Tryptophan Phenyl Alanine Tyrosine Methionine Cystine Threonine Leucine Isoleucine Valine Foxtail 220 130 140 60 420 - 180 100 190 1040 480 430 Proso 290 110 190 50 310 - 160 - 150 760 410 410 Finger 300 130 220 100 310 220 210 140 240 690 400 480 Little 250 120 110 60 330 - 180 90 190 760 370 350 Barnyard 270 120 150 50 430 - 180 110 200 650 360 410 Sorghum 240 160 150 70 300 180 100 90 210 880 270 340 Bajra 300 140 190 110 290 200 150 110 140 750 260 330 Rice 480 130 230 80 280 290 150 90 230 500 300 380 Wheat 290 130 170 70 280 180 90 140 180 410 220 280 (Source: Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2007) Table 4. Vitamin profile of Millets Millet Thiamin (mg) Niacin (mg) Riboflavin Vit A (carotene) (mg/100g) Vit B6 (mg/100g) Folic Acid (mg/100g) Vit B5 (mg/100g) Vit E (mg/100g) Foxtail 0.59 3.2 0.11 32 - 15.0 0.82 31.0 Proso 0.41 4.5 0.28 0 - - 1.2 - Finger 0.42 1.1 0.19 42 - 18.3 - 22.0 Little 0.3 3.2 0.09 0 - 9.0 - - Barnyard 0.33 4.2 0.1 0 - - - - Kodo 0.15 2.0 0.09 0 - 23.1 - - Sorghum 0.38 4.3 0.15 47 0.21 20.0 1.25 12.0 Bajra 0.38 2.8 0.21 132 - 45.5 1.09 19.0 Rice 0.41 4.3 0.04 0 - 8.0 - - Wheat 0.41 5.1 0.1 64 0.57 36.6 - - (Source: Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2007) Table 5. Micronutrient Profile of Millets (mg/100g) Millets Mg Na K Cu Mn Mb Zn Cr Su Cl Foxtail 81 4.6 250 1.40 0.60 0.070 2.4 0.030 171 37 Proso 153 8.2 113 1.60 0.60 - 1.4 0.020 157 19 Finger 137 11.0 408 0.47 5.49 0.102 2.3 0.028 160 44 Little 133 8.1 129 1.00 0.68 0.016 3.7 0.180 149 13 Barnyard 82 - - 0.60 0.96 - 3 0.090 - - Kodo 147 4.6 144 1.60 1.10 - 0.7 0.020 136 11 Sorghum 171 7.3 131 0.46 0.78 0.039 1.6 0.008 54 44 Bajra 137 10.9 307 1.06 1.15 0.069 3.1 0.023 147 39 Rice 90 - - 0.14 0.59 0.058 1.4 0.004 - - Wheat 138 17.1 284 0.68 2.29 0.051 2.7 0.012 128 47 (Source: Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2007) Table 6. Fatty acid composition of millets Millet Palmitic Palmoleic Stearic Oleic Linoleic Linolenic Foxtail 6.40 - 6.30 13.0 66.50 - Proso - 10.80 - 53.80 34.90 - Finger - - - - - - Little - - - - - - Sorghum 14.0 - 2.10 31.0 49.0 2.70 Bajra 20.85 - - 25.40 46.0 4.10 Rice 15.0 - 1.90 42.50 39.10 1.10 Wheat 24.50 0.80 1.00 11.50 56.30 3.70 (Source: Nutritive value of Indian foods, NIN, 2007) Table 7. Amylose & Amylopectin content of millets Cereal grain Amylose (%) Amylopectin (%) Proso millet 28.2 71.8 Foxtail millet 17.5 82.5 Kodo millet 24.0 76.0 Finger millet 16.0 84.0 Sorghum 24.0 76.0 Bajra 21.1 78.9 Short Grain Rice 12-19 88-81 Wheat 25.0 75.0 (Source: MILLET in your Meals) Declining small millet cultivation In spite of the extraordinary nutritional qualities of millet grains and capacities of millet farming systems, the area under millet production has been shrinking over the last five decades. The period between 1961 and 2009 saw a dramatic decrease in cultivated area under millets, more so in case of small millets (80% for small millets other than finger millet, 46% for finger millet). The area under all small millets other than finger millet has declined drastically in all states and the total production of small millets has declined by 76%. The productivity has remained more or less stagnant in the last two decades. The area declined by 83% from first five year plan to 11th plan whereas the production also fell by nearly 80%. The productivity of small millets (other than finger millet) remained almost stagnant till 11th plan with a slight decline during 3rd and 4th plans. Small millets for nutritional security From the data presented here it is evident that small millets are superior in some or most of the nutritional components compared to most widely consumed rice and wheat. These millets contribute towards balanced diet, and can hence ensure nutritional security more easily through regular consumption along with keeping the environment safe as they are low input crops mostly adapted to marginal lands. Declining small millets cultivation has resulted in reduced availability of these nutritious grains to needy population and also the traditional consumers have gradually switched over to more easily available fine cereals due to Government policies. This is a disturbing trend and needs urgent focus by the agricultural experts and policy makers. Immediate policy and market support, value addition and promotional activity are necessary for arresting the further decline not only in cultivation but also consumption. Improving productivity and enhancing demand should be the twin approaches. Development of health foods and their commercialization should receive focused attention to promote the millets among the urban elite, which would lead to reduction in life-style related disorders. Source: Dr. Hariprasanna K., ICAR-Directorate of Sorghum Research, Hyderabad - 500030