The whole genome sequence (WGS) of the much awaited, nutrient rich and climate resilient crop, finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) has been released recently. While possessing superior mineral nutrients and excellent shelf life as compared to other major cereals, multiploidy nature of the genome and relatively small plantation acreage in less developed countries hampered the genome sequencing of finger millet, disposing it as one of the lastly sequenced genomes in cereals. The genomic information available for this crop is very little when compared to other major cereals like rice, maize and barley. As a result, only a limited number of genetic and genomic studies has been undertaken for the improvement of this crop. Finger millet is known especially for its superior calcium content, but the high-throughput studies are yet to be performed to understand the mechanisms behind calcium transport and grain filling. The WGS of finger millet is expected to help to understand this and other important molecular mechanisms in finger millet, which may be harnessed for the nutrient fortification of other cereals. In this review, we discuss various efforts made so far on the improvement of finger millet including genetic improvement, transcriptome analysis, mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for traits, etc. We also discuss the pitfalls of modern genetic studies and provide insights for accelerating the finger millet improvement with the interventions of WGS in near future. Advanced genetic and genomic studies aided by WGS may help to improve the finger millet, which will be helpful to strengthen the nutritional security in addition to food security in the developing countries of Asia and Africa.

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Finger Millet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] Improvement: Current Status and Future Interventions of Whole Genome Sequence.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis from directly valorized ragi husk and sesame oil cake by Bacillus megaterium strain Ti3: Statistical optimization and characterization.

Polyhydroxybutyrate production from ultrasound-aided alkaline pretreated finger millet straw using Bacillus megaterium strain CAM12.

Energy auditing and data envelopment analysis (DEA) based optimization for increased energy use efficiency in wheat cultivation (Triticum aestium L.) in north-western India

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) is a minor millet grown in the arid and semiarid tropics and subtropics of Asia and Africa. It is cultivated for food, as well as fodder and medicinal purposes. The genus Eleusine includes eight species of diploid and tetraploid annual and perennial herbs. The cultivated species also have several races and subraces and hence, finger millet displays great variability and diversity for most agronomically- important traits. It is a hardy crop which can withstand abiotic stress such as water scarcity and cold temperatures. Several genotypes are blast resistant and nutritionally rich especially in minerals and essential amino acids. Therefore, studying the germplasm diversity and selection of superior genotypes are prerequisites for a successful breeding program for crop improvement. The advent of tissue culture techniques, genomics and transcriptomics will further facilitate the study of genetic diversity. Increasing the finger millet production will help attain food and nutritional security especially for poor countries. Although the Green Revolution has transformed agriculture sector, the shift from traditional to modern production systems has led to the displacement of traditional landraces and genetic erosion of many crop species. It is thus vital to preserve the germplasm for the conservation of genetic diversity. The present chapter reviews the finger millet species, present diversity and recent breeding programs to improve the crop. The chapter also discusses the measures taken for genetic conservation of the species.

Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gartn.) Breeding

This article aims to investigate the growth in area, production and productivity, mapping of cultivation technologies, economics, potentials and constraints for area and production expansion of finger millet. The exponential growth rates, indicated that though there was deceleration both in area and production there was significant growth in productivity due to introduction of high yielding varieties. The respondents under different production system (rainfed and irrigated situation) were homogeneous with respect to the age and family size except land holding and education level. Finger millet possesses tremendous potential for product diversification and export. Mapping of cultivation technologies indicated that, farmers applied more fertilizers than recommended. Hence, there is a need to strengthen extension/outreach programmes to create awareness among farmers to use the optimum level of nutrients, which helps in reducing the cost incurred by farmers as well as subsidy burden on government. The existing procurement price for finger millet was Rs. 2100/q which failed to cover the cost of production under rainfed situation. In the total land holding, the area under finger millet accounted for major (64%) share in rainfed situation and thus the procurement price must be fixed looking into the cost of production of rainfed (Rs. 2624/q) finger millet, which helps in improving the welfare of finger millet growing small farmers.

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Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) Production System: Status, Potential, Constraints and Implications for Improving Small Farmer’s Welfare

Review on Decision-making under Risk and Uncertainty in Agriculture

The study aims at examining the growth and instability of area, production and productivity and forecasting of area and production of Finger Millet crop in the state and India. The study is based on the time series data on area, production and productivity from 1984–85 to 2014–15. The study period was divided into two sub-periods coincides with the introduction Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) in 1997–98 i.e., period I (1984–85 to 1997–98) and period II (1999–00 to 2014–15). Thus, the total study period consists of 31 years. The growth rates in the area, production and productivity were calculated using compound growth rates. The trend lines showed an increase in both production and productivity in major ragi growing districts of Karnataka in both the periods, even though the showed area under the crop is decreasing. The analysis indicates that there was negative of growth in area and positive growth in productivity in all the major ragi growing districts of Karnataka in period I (1984–85 to 1997–98) and period II (1999–00 to 2014–15). The variability in production is attributed to declining in area and increase in productivity. The instability in the area, production and productivity were found to be more accelerated in period-II (1999–00 to 2014–15), compared to period-I (1984–85 to 1998–99). For forecasting ragi production, different linear and nonlinear growth models were explored. The forecasting results showed that, even though there was a deceleration in area, the production of ragi was increasing due to increase in productivity in the future time.

Growth dynamics and forecasting of finger millet (Ragi) production in Karnataka

The paper has examined the pattern of food consumption, dietary diversity and factors influencing dietary diversity across rural-urban interface of Bangalore. The study is based on the primary data of 510 households comprising of 189 rural, 211 transition and 110 urban households. Simpson Index of Dietary Diversity (SIDD) was employed to estimate the diversity in the consumption basket and to determine the factors influencing dietary diversity, the fractional probit model was used. The results showed that, higher cereal consumption was observed in rural area than in transition and urban areas and cereals were the prominent source of energy across all the gradients. The total calorie intake to the recommended calorie intake in urban, transition and rural area indicated that, the calorie intake in urban area was higher than the recommended intake (2100 Cal/CU/day) while, the scenario was opposite in transition and rural areas. This necessitates interventions to educate households to modify the existing purchasing behavior to reduce the gap between recommended Original Research Article Ashwini et al.; CJAST, 38(6): 1-8, 2019; Article no.CJAST.53260 2 and actual calorie intake. Further, the dietary diversity was analysed using SIDD, among the gradients, highest dietary diversity score was observed in urban (0.82) followed by transition (0.79) and rural gradients (0.77). Factors such as per capita income, access to irrigation and urban area had positive influence on dietary diversity. While, family size had negative influence on dietary diversity. Furthermore, among the different food items, cereals took major share in quantity consumption, calorie consumption and food consumption expenditure. On the other hand, diversity in consumption basket was marginally high in urban area.

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Food Consumption Pattern and Dietary Diversity in Rural-urban Interface of Bangalore

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Veerabhadrappa Bellundagi

Papers

Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn.) Production System: Status, Potential, Constraints and Implications for Improving Small Farmer’s Welfare

Review on Decision-making under Risk and Uncertainty in Agriculture

Growth dynamics and forecasting of finger millet (Ragi) production in Karnataka

Food Consumption Pattern and Dietary Diversity in Rural-urban Interface of Bangalore

Economic Surplus Approach for Impact Assessment of Soil Reviving Programme in Karnataka: An Economic Analysis