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B. K. Shashi ¹, Sunanda Sharan ¹, T. K. Nagarathna ¹, A. G. Shankar ¹, Shailaja Hittalamani ¹

Affiliations
1 University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore - 560065, IN

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an important minor cereal cultivated for food in the Indian sub continent as well as in many African countries. The nutritive value of finger millet is higher than that of rice and equal to that of wheat. The average fiber content of 3.6 per cent unlike 0.2 per cent in rice or 1.2 per cent in bajra helps in maintenance of health in many ways. Carbohydrate content (72.0%) of finger millet is slightly higher than that of bajra or maize and less than rice (78.2%). It is also low in fat (1.3%) and contains 7.39 per cent of protein. Finger millet is rich in calcium (300-340 mg/100g), iron (5-15 g/100g), vitamin B₁₂ (0.4 to 3 mg/100g) and seven essentia! amino acids. Besides this, iodine content (101 μg/kg) is reported to be highest among food grains.

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B. K. Shashi ¹, Sunanda Sharan ¹, Shailaja Hittalamani ², A. G. Shankar ³, T. K. Nagarathana ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, IN
2 Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, IN
3 Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore-560 065, IN

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an important minor cereal cultivated for food on the Indian sub continent as well as in many African countries. It is an important cereal by acreage, excellent storage properties of the grain and value cereal, nutritionally, physiologically, medicinally and functionally reflecting the physico chemical characteristics of the grain. The average fiber content of 3.6 per cent unlike 0.2 per cent in rice or 1.2 per cent in bajra helps In maintenance of health. Carbohydrate content (72.0%) of finger millet is slightly higher from that of bajra or maize and less than rice (78.2%). It is also low in fat (1.3%) and contains 7.39 per cent of protein.

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S. Mohan Kumar ¹, S. J. Prashanth ², H. R. Manu Kumar ³, Shailaja Hittalamani ⁴, M. Udaya Kumar ⁴

Affiliations
1 Department of Biotechnology and Crop Improvement, College of Horticulture (U.H.S.Campus), G.K.V.K., Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN
2 College of Horticulture (U.H.S. Campus), G.K.V.K., Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN
3 College of Horticulture, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada (Karnataka), IN
4 University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN

Abstract

Crop productivity is very much dependent on the biomass and its partition to economic parts in the plant system. In the present study, 150 recombinant lines were characterized for variability in total biomass. The mapping population was classified on the basis of biomass as low and high biomass types. Except SLA, other biometric traits varied significantly. Assessment of contribution of physiological traits other than the canopy cover that determine the variability in biomass is best done when genotypes with similar leaf area but differing in biomass are compared. All the traits varied significantly between low and high biomass types. To know the interrelationship among traits that contribute to the total biomass of the plant was also ascertained through correlation studies. A positive correlation was observed between various ischolar_main, shoot associated traits and the total biomass but ischolar_main to shoot ratio showed a negative relationship with biomass. Apart from ischolar_main and shoot dry weight, a strong positive correlation was observed between the leaf area and the biomass suggesting that the photosynthetic surface area contributes significantly to the biomass production.

Keywords

Biomass, Finger Millet, Mapping Population.

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S. Mohan Kumar ¹, H. R. Manu Kumar ², S. J. Prashanth ³, Shailaja Hittalamani ⁴, M. Udaya Kumar ⁴

Affiliations
1 Department of Biotechnology and Crop Improvement, College of Horticulture (U.H.S. Campus), G.K.V.K., Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN
2 College of Horticulture, Sirsi, Uttara Kannada (Karnataka), IN
3 College of Horticulture (U.H.S. Campus), G.K.V.K., Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN
4 University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru (Karnataka), IN

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to characterize finger millet recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for drought tolerance. A set of 150 RILs with two parents IE 2912 and IE 2885 used were used to characterize for drought tolerance traits such as total leaf area, ischolar_main length, ischolar_main volume, moisture retention capacity (MRC) and SPAD chlorophyll reading (SCMR). Parent line IE 2912 was superior to IE 2885 for all the traits and both parents differed significantly for all traits except MRC and SCMR. In mapping population, ischolar_main traits, leaf traits, showed traits showed normal distribution around the mean and showed continuous variation indicating their quantitative nature. Since identified parental lines and mapping population developed are differing significantly they can be utilized in identifying markers linked to drought traits.

Keywords

Finger Miller, RIL, Drought Tolerance, SCMR.

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