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Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is an important component of agri‐food system in areas experiencing drought and high temperature and for increasing the resilience to climatic stresses and addressing malnutrition. The purpose of this review is to examine strategies for improving productivity, stress resilience, and nutritional quality of pearl millet and to understand its consumption pattern. Genetic diversification of hybrid parental lines remains strategically important to breed diverse, disease‐resistant and drought‐tolerant hybrids. Resistance to diseases, tolerance to drought, and high temperature and greater contents of iron and zinc are targeted in improving hybrid parental lines. Lodging resistance, compact panicles, panicle exertion, and improved seed set are universal traits, whereas duration, tillering ability, seed color, and seed size have a strong regional preference. The strategy of developing high‐yielding and disease‐resistant hybrids with adaptation to challenged agro‐ecologies has led to increase in yield from 303 to 1219 kg/ha between 1960 and 2020. Yield and stress resilience are to be increased further using conventional breeding and new tools like genomic selection, speed breeding, genome editing, and precision phenotyping. Mainstreaming grain nutritional traits, viz., iron and zinc contents in genetic improvement are essential to develop high‐yielding and nutrient‐rich pearl millet. There is need to enhance the consumption of pearl millet by strengthening existing value‐chain, providing consumer a choice of diverse range of food products, creating awareness about its health benefits and promotion through government schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal irrigation needs of six popular Egyptian bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars and to establish baseline effect of reduced irrigation on yield. The varieties included were Sids1, Sids14, Sakha94, Sakha95, Gemmiza12, and Shandawee1. The experiment was conducted at two different locations, Nubaria and Sids Agricultural Research Stations, Egypt over two consecutive seasons, 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. There was a reduction in yield with the decrease in the number of irrigations. However, several cultivars performed better for yield and other traits with one less irrigation than the current irrigation practices in the region. Therefore, the study may help revise irrigation recommendations. Overall, the cultivars Sakha95, Sids1, and Sids14 were taller and had more kernels per spike, higher seed index, and greater grain yield under reduced irrigations and showed the best drought tolerance index. The tested bread wheat cultivars were genotyped using Inter-Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism (IRAP) and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers which showed relation among the cultivars. Among the two types of markers, IRAP was better than SCoT markers for reliability and robustness. Among the six cultivars, 58% of the IRAP markers detected polymorphism as compared to 38% with SCoT markers. The two wheat cultivars Sids1 and Sids14, which performed better for important agronomic traits under water stress conditions, could be used as donors for the national wheat breeding program for drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearl millet, considered as nutri-cereal, has better nutritional composition and quality, as compared to other cereals. Though, it is less popular due to low shelf-life of the flour. Here, we characterize the rancid behavior of three diverse genotypes of pearl millet—WGI-100 (White), Purple, and fortified Dhanshakti (complete grains and decorticated) using different quality determinants linked with shelf-life. Starch, amylose, resistant and non-resistant starch content was observed maximum in Dhanshakti, whereas amylopectin was observed maximum in cv. purple. The activities of carbohydrate degrading enzyme (α-/β-Amylases) were observed maximum on 6th days after milling (DAM) in cv. Dhanshakti. Phytic acid and micronutrients (Fe and Zn) were observed more stabilized in flour during storage. We observed gradual decrease in the storage proteins and total lipid with increase in DAM due to oxidation. Evaluation of physicochemical treatments [salt (1%), lime (1%, grains soaked for overnight), hydrothermal-infrared (HT-IR, grains steamed for 5 min followed by quick drying using IR bulbs with wavelength of 0.7–2.0 µm), kilning (live steam, quick heating), near infra-red (NIR, short wave for 5 min) and air tight aluminum pouches (50 µm thickness)] showed HT-IR to be most effective treatment in arresting the lipid hydrolysis by denaturating/aggregating the rancidity causing enzymes (lipase and lipoxygenase). We observed Dhanshakti to be better in flour quality and nutrient density, as compared to other cvs. HT-IR was observed to be most cost-effective and promising technology in enhancing the shelf-life of pearl millet flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: A total of 544 significant marker-trait associations and 286 candidate genes associated with total protein and 18 amino acids were identified. Thirty-three candidate genes were found near the strong marker trait associations (– log10P ≥ 5.5). Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is largely grown as a subsistence crop in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. It serves as a major source of daily protein intake in these regions. Despite its importance, no systematic effort has been made to study the genetic variations of protein and amino acid content in pearl millet germplasm. The present study was undertaken to dissect the global genetic variations of total protein and 18 essential and non-essential amino acids in pearl millet, using a set of 435 K Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and 161 genotypes of the Pearl Millet Inbred Germplasm Association Panel (PMiGAP). A total of 544 significant marker-trait associations (at P < 0.0001; – log10P ≥ 4) were detected and 23 strong marker-trait associations were identified using Bonferroni’s correction method. Forty-eight pleiotropic loci were found in the genome for the studied traits. In total, 286 candidate genes associated with total protein and 18 amino acids were identified. Thirty-three candidate genes were found near strongly associated SNPs. The associated markers and the candidate genes provide an insight into the genetic architecture of the traits studied and are going to be useful in breeding improved pearl millet varieties in the future. Availabilities of improved pearl millet varieties possessing higher protein and amino acid compositions will help combat the rising malnutrition problem via diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most soybean producers in the Cerrado biome use the direct seeding system, making it essential to cultivate cash or cover crops in the off-season, to promote soil protection, as well as increase organic matter, which is directly related to improvements in the chemical and physical characteristics of these soils. In this sense, this work was conducted in Jataí, state of Goias, Brazil, to evaluate the physical-chemical attributes of the soil and the performance of soybeans cultivated in different crop succession systems cultivated for 6 years in the region of Jataí, GO. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four plots and four replications; the crops that followed soybeans were arranged as follows: T1—corn (Zea mays); T2—pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum); T3—Urochloa ruziziensis; and T4—corn + Urochloa ruziziensis. Soybean yield components and grain yield were evaluated in two harvests (2020/2021 and 2021/2022). Deformed and undisturbed soil samples were collected in 2022 to assess soil fertility and for physical analysis. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (F test) and the means were compared using the Tukey test at 5% probability. The soybean–millet succession system stood out for the chemical and physical attributes of the soil: calcium, magnesium, base saturation, hydrogen + aluminum, and total porosity. The crop succession system did not affect yield for the two years analyzed, but the accumulated grain yields were higher in the crop succession soybean/corn intercropped. The results highlight the importance of using cover crops in improving the physical and chemical qualities of the soil in the long term. However, in the Cerrado, there is a predominance of the soybean/corn succession system motivated by financial issues to the detriment of the qualitative aspects of the soil, in which the introduction of Urochloa ruziziensis in intercropping with corn would improve the chemical attributes of the soil and have a long-term impact on the accumulated grain production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yield of pearl millet, a resilient cereal crop crucial for African food security, is severely impacted by the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica, which requires host-released hormones, called strigolactones (SLs), for seed germination. Herein, we identify four SLs present in the Striga-susceptible line SOSAT-C88-P10 (P10) but absent in the resistant 29Aw (Aw). We generate chromosome-scale genome assemblies, including four gapless chromosomes for each line. The Striga-resistant Aw lacks a 0.7 Mb genome segment containing two putative CARLACTONOIC ACID METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (CLAMT1) genes, which may contribute to SL biosynthesis. Functional assays show that P10CLAMT1b produces the SL-biosynthesis intermediate methyl carlactonoate (MeCLA) and that MeCLA is the precursor of P10-specific SLs. Screening a diverse pearl millet panel confirms the pivotal role of the CLAMT1 section for SL diversity and Striga susceptibility. Our results reveal a reason for Striga susceptibility in pearl millet and pave the way for generating resistant lines through marker-assisted breeding or direct genetic modification. Production of pearl millet is impacted by the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica. Here, the authors assemble the genomes of resistant and susceptible lines of pearl millet and identify a critical gene CARLACTONOIC ACID METHYLTRANSFERASE1b (CLAMT1b) in determining Striga resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearl millet has two major heterotic groups, HGB (Heterotic Group B) and HGR (Heterotic Group R), each with unique genetic backgrounds and traits. Leveraging appropriate genetic resources is crucial for enhancing the potential of these heterotic groups in hybrid breeding programmes. Testers are essential in this context, determining the combining ability of new breeding lines and accurately assessing the performance and potential of parental lines in hybrid combinations. Two sets of test crosses were produced using line × tester mating design: Set 1 with six HGB testers crossed with new restorer lines and Set 2 with six HGR testers crossed with new seed parental lines, evaluated at multiple locations in India. Testers were evaluated for their effectiveness using multiple criteria, such as rank correlation analysis for line performance in hybrid combinations, discrimination ability, general combining ability, per se performance and Biplot analysis. These assessments determined their relative ranking, with HGB1‐T3, HGB2‐T3, HGR1‐T1 and HGR2‐T1 identified as efficient testers. The genetic analysis helps identify efficient testers for selecting superior genotypes, thereby enhancing heterotic group performance by incorporating appropriate new breeding material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of cover crops can contribute to the increase in phosphorus content at depth by root decomposition. The aim of this work was to verify the effect of cover crops on soil phosphorus availability and use by successive plants, and the accumulation of soil P in a no-tillage system conducted for 14 years. This research was carried out during the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 crop seasons, whose treatments have been installed and maintained since 2003. The experimental design was a randomized block design, and the plots consisted of spring crops: pearl millet, forage sorghum, sunn hemp, and additionally, a fallow/chiseling area. The evaluation of available P was determined by P fractionation. In general, in the two years of evaluation, the accumulation of P in the shoot dry matter was higher in sunn hemp growth, on average 25% higher than pearl millet in 2016 and 40% higher than sorghum in 2017. The highest contents of labile inorganic P were in the sorghum–soybean and fallow/chiseling–soybean successions, with values higher than 50 mg kg−1 of P in the 0–0.1 m soil layer. However, in the other layers analyzed, the cover crops obtained higher availability of labile inorganic P. The systems using cover crops recovered 100% of the P fertilized in soybean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of millets are produced in India, particularly pearl millet, which is more nutritious than both wheat and rice. Native to India, the "north-western semi-arid region" produces rabadi, a natural dairy beverage made from cereal and fermented by lactic acid bacteria. The three components of rabadi viz. pearl millet, buttermilk and deionized water were optimized by using Design Expert software trial version13.0.12.0. Rabadi was processed by using the traditional technique i.e., the three components were mixed in sterile conditions and fermented for 4 h at 37 °C and then cooked for 7–8 min at high flame and finally boiled. Parameters such as pH, viscosity, ash, moisture, total solids, antioxidants, total phenols, tannins, suspension stability, titratable acidity, total sugars, and reducing sugars were analysed for all 16 runs predicted by the software. 6.83 g of pearl millet, 42.44 ml of buttermilk, and 50.72 ml of deionized water were predicted to be the best formulation of rabadi, when using the set goal of maximizing the antioxidants, total phenols and minimizing the tannins. FTIR analysis was also carried out, after the final concentration optimization, to confirm the presence of phenolic compounds, antioxidants, carbohydrates, proteins and fatty acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transpiration efficiency (TE), the biomass produced per unit of water transpired, is a key trait for crop performance under limited water. As water becomes scarce, increasing TE would contribute to increase crop drought tolerance. This study is a first step to explore pearl millet genotypic variability for TE on a large and representative diversity panel. We analyzed TE on 537 pearl millet genotypes, including inbred lines, test-cross hybrids, and hybrids bred for different agroecological zones. Three lysimeter trials were conducted in 2012, 2013 and 2015, to assess TE both under well-watered and terminal-water stress conditions. We recorded grain yield to assess its relationship with TE. Up to two-fold variation for TE was observed over the accessions used. Mean TE varied between inbred and testcross hybrids, across years and was slightly higher under water stress. TE also differed among hybrids developed for three agroecological zones, being higher in hybrids bred for the wetter zone, underlining the importance of selecting germplasm according to the target area. Environmental conditions triggered large Genotype x Environment (GxE) interactions, although TE showed some high heritability. Transpiration efficiency was the second contributor to grain yield after harvest index, highlighting the importance of integrating it into pearl millet breeding programs. Future research on TE in pearl millet should focus (i) on investigating the causes of its plasticity i.e. the GxE interaction (ii) on studying its genetic basis and its association with other important physiological traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and identifying appropriate adaptation optons for cropping systems and management practices at spatial and temporal scales is an important prerequisite for scaling. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L) R. Br.) could be regarded as a risk-reducing measure crop under climate change when coupled with tactical agronomic management practices. In this study, we assess the impacts of adaptation strategies such as cultivar type, planting windows, and fertilizer strategies on pearl millet production under rainfed farming systems over Nigeria and Senegal using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model. The impact of climate change on millet yield was evaluated using a validated APSIM-millet module that utilized yield data collected through participatory research and extension approach (PREA) in contrasting environments. The climate model projections for the mid-century period (2040-2069) were compared against a baseline period of 1980-2009 for both locations. During the simulation, two millet varieties (improved local and dualpurpose) with two sowing regimes were considered comparing traditional farmers' sowing window (dry sowing) and agronomic sowing window (planting based on the onset of the rainfall) at three different fertilizer levels [low (23 kg N ha-1), medium (40.5 kg N ha-1), and high (68.5 kg N ha-1) respectively]. The performance of the APSIM-millet module was found to be satisfactory as indicated by the low Root Means Square Error (RMSE) and Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) values. The range for grain yield was between 17.7% and 25.8%, while for AGB it was between 18.6% and 21.4%. The results showed that farmers' sowing window simulated slightly higher grain yield than the agronomic sowing window for improved local millet cultivar indicating yield increased by 8-12%. However, the projected changes in the mid-century (2040- 2069) resulted in a decline in yield against baseline climate for both varieties and sowing windows, indicating the negative impact of climate change (CC) on yield productivity. The comparison between dual-purpose millet and improved local millet indicates that disseminating the improved millet variety and implementing early sowing could be an effective adaptation strategy in reducing risks and losses caused by climate change. Similarly, low magnitude impacts simulated on grain yield (< -8% in Nigeria compared to > -8% in Senegal) even though both locations are in the same agroecological zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive phosphorus (P) levels can disrupt nutrient balance in plants, adversely affecting growth. The molecular responses of Pennisetum species to high phosphorus stress remain poorly understood. This study examined two Pennisetum species, Pennisetum americanum × Pennisetum purpureum and Pennisetum americanum, under varying P concentrations (200, 600 and 1000 µmol·L− 1 KH2PO4) to elucidate transcriptomic alterations under high-P conditions. Our findings revealed that P. americanum exhibited stronger adaption to high-P stress compared to P. americanum× P. purpureum. Both species showed an increase in plant height and leaf P content under elevated P levels, with P. americanum demonstrating greater height and higher P content than P. americanum× P. purpureum. Transcriptomic analysis identified significant up- and down-regulation of key genes (e.g. SAUR, GH3, AHP, PIF4, PYL, GST, GPX, GSR, CAT, SOD1, CHS, ANR, P5CS and PsbO) involved in plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, peroxisomes, flavonoid biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways. Compared with P. americanum× P. purpureum, P. americanum has more key genes in the KEGG pathway, and some genes have higher expression levels. These results contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing high-P stress in Pennisetum species and offer implications for broader plant stress research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of microbial inoculants, chitosan, and blend (microbial inoculants and chitosan) on chemical composition, in vitro degradability, fermentative profile, losses, aerobic stability, and microorganism counts of corn, pearl millet and sorghum silages. A randomised block design was used in a factorial arrangement of 3 × 4. Three crops (pearl millet, corn and sorghum) and four additives: Control (without additive), 2 g of microbial inoculants (for ton of forage), 10 g/kg chitosan per kg of ensiled material, and blend (chitosan [5 g/kg] plus microbial inoculants [2 g/ton forage]), with five replicates per treatment. Chitosan increases the CP levels of silages and improves the in vitro degradability of DM in sorghum silage. The microbial inoculants reduced the pH in pearl millet, corn and sorghum silages (P < 0.001). The additives affected (P < 0.05) the aerobic stability of silages throughout the evaluation period. However, when evaluating the chitosan, the average temperature of the pearl millet and corn silages remained stable for a longer period. Chitosan improved the nutritional quality of sorghum silage. Chitosan-treated silages pearl millet and corn silages show great efficiency in aerobic stability due to antifungal activity. The microbial inoculants show reduced gas losses compared to chitosan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutricereals, pearl millet flour consumption is hardly limited to a few specific regions of the world owing to the development of early rancidity on storage. Hot air assisted radio frequency technology (HARF) was used to improve the storage stability of pearl millet flour. Pearl millets at different moisture levels of 10.5±0.5, 12 & 15% were subjected to HARF for 5-, 10- & 15-min exposure period under fixed electrode position. The results revealed that significant reduction in peroxide value and free fatty acid values of flours from treated pearl millet was found compared to decorticated raw flour; thereby, the storage stability enhancement of pearl millet flour up to 180 days was achieved. No significant difference was found for emulsifying, foaming and cooking properties between treated pearl millet at 15% moisture, 15 min exposure and decorticated raw one. In contrast, the bulk density of flour from treated pearl millet was found higher. Significant increase in hardness of cooked grains after the treatment was observed while the springiness, cohesiveness and gumminess values did not vary. In FTIR analysis, no difference was observed between the peaks of whole and decorticated pearl millet flours in both untreated and treated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereal grains are nutrient-dense food for a large section population in the world in general and developing and underdeveloped countries in Asia and Africa in particular along with their status as a staple food. Cereal crops such as rice and wheat are forerunners in achieving food security in the modern world of population explosion. Other cereals crops such as maize, sorghum, and pearl millets are proposed and promoted for various reasons such as the indirect promoter for agricultural diversification, promoter of diet diversification, capacity to contribute higher minerals (micronutrients) and other nutritional components in diet and their capacity to tolerate environmental odd situations. Besides these major cereal crops, the significance of millet has been highlighted in recent times. The millets are known for their tolerance to adverse environmental situations, nutritional superiority over major staple cereals, and multifarious uses. The availability in large quantities at an affordable price, policy support in production and distribution as well as strong institutional development activities (such as exploring genetic materials for high-yielding varieties development and success in tolerating biotic and abiotic stress) helps the cereal crops to remain a staple food. Besides staple and nutrient-dense food, cereals are also known for their very high crop residue production which is by default in most of the developing and underdeveloped countries used as fodder and feed to cattle, small ruminants, and also for poultry birds. Considering this status of cereals in human and animal nutrition, attempts have been made and still going on to enhance the nutritional status of these cereal crops in most of the developing and underdeveloped countries in Africa and Asia. Development of biofortified varieties, different methods of agronomic biofortification, success in developing genetically engineered nutrient-dense crops, different new and modified processing, and values addition in cereal grain-based nutrient-rich products and policies at the global and national level for the development of nutrient-dense food explain these attempts. On the other hand, lack of availability of seeds and low seed replacement ratio with nutrient-dense crops/varieties, socioeconomic constraints in the adoption of genetically engineered crops, lack of market incentives for biofortified cereals crops/varieties, lack of awareness and low adoption rate, constraints of bioavailability of nutrients in cereal grains and availability of a competitive source of nutrition other than cereals are other constraints in development and adoption of nutrient-dense cereal crops. Considering the significant contribution of cereal grains to the energy and protein supply to the majority of the population in developing and underdeveloped countries, all attempts to increase the nutritional status of cereal crops play a major role in supporting the attempts to achieve food and nutritional security in most of the Asian and African countries. The main objective of this chapter is to overview the status of cereal crops in Africa and Asia and the need for the development of nutrient-dense cereal crops. The chapter discussed the major nutrients designated for enriching the cereal grains and valid options for these enrichment. The development of nutrient-dense cereal grain varieties by exploring landraces and improved breeding techniques is the most important and largely explored option. This option will remain its highest significance in developing nutrient-dense cereal crops due to well-established institutional support and policy orientation and being a self-sustained avenue. The soil and plant-based approaches including bio-fortification, ferti-fortification, and diversification of cereal crops with millets stand second. This approach is gaining and will again intensify its impact on developing nutrient-dense crops. The harvesting complimentary and supplementary interactions of soil and plant-based approaches with newly developed nutrient-dense crop varieties will be forerunners in achieving the reach for the nutrient-dense crop to designated end beneficiaries. The legislation (mandatory or voluntary) for fortification of food products, supplementation of micronutrients through medication, the establishment of standards for food fortification, awareness creation in the market chain about nutrient-dense crops and their significance, and increasing attempts for incorporation of genetically modified crops in the food chain are the other avenues of significant role at present and future too. Considering the single major source of nutrition, the cereal grain will remain an affordable nutrient-dense grain for a large section of people from Africa and Asia. Therefore, the wider implications of the above-mentioned avenues are going on at present and will acquire more attention in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An attempt was undertaken to comprehend how phenotypic markers, leaf tip necrosis (LTN), and pseudo black chaff (PBC), are associated with pleiotropic resistance genes in wheat (Triticum spp.). Pleiotropic resistance to stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici), leaf rust (P. triticina), stem rust (P. graminis f. sp. tritici) and powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) was evaluated in 57 Egyptian spring wheat cultivars at seedling stage in greenhouse and at adult plant stage in field during 2021/22 and 2022/23. At seedling stage, pleiotropic resistance rated moderately resistance (MR) was observed in five cultivars, Misr-3 (all three rusts), Misr-4 (stripe rust, leaf rust, powdery mildew), Giza-168 (leaf rust, stem rust, powdery mildew), Sakha-94 and Sids-13 (leaf rust, stem rust). At adult plant stage, Misr-4 outperformed all other evaluated cultivars, exhibiting a high level of pleiotropic adult plant resistance (PAPR) against all diseases investigated. High levels of PAPR were also noticed against the three rusts in nine cultivars, Misr-3, Sakha-93, Sakha-94, Sakha-95, Giza-156, Giza-168, Giza-171, Gemmeiza-10 and Sids-13, and moderate levels against powdery mildew in Misr-3, Sakha-95, Giza-156. Four PAPR genes were characterized in cultivars based on phenotypic and molecular markers. Phenotypic markers (LTN and PBC) were observed in 23 cultivars. Molecular marker csLV34 indicated the presence of Lr34/Yr18/Sr57/Pm38/Ltn1 in six cultivars, whilst marker Xwmc44 indicated that Lr46/Yr29/Sr58/Pm39/Ltn2 was present in five cultivars. Marker Xcfd71 indicated the presence of Lr67/Yr46/Sr55/Pm46/Ltn3 in 19 cultivars. Gene Sr2/Yr30/Lr27/Pbc was identified with marker csSr2 in three cultivars. A complete association between LTN and molecular markers was recorded, while a strong association (r = 0.73) was recorded between PBC and molecular markers. Findings demonstrated the reliability of phenotypic markers in predicting pleiotropic resistance in wheat, which would facilitate marker-assisted selection in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Three‐dimensional (3D) food printing is a promising method for developing nutritious snack foods with complex and customized structures. In this study, to develop a pearl millet‐based snack formulation, the printability of pearl millet flour (PMF) was assessed, without and with the addition of banana pulp (BP), a natural taste and flavor enhancer, at five different levels (PMF:BP of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100). Results: The water activity significantly decreased with increases in the proportion of BP; higher water activity was exhibited at 100:0 (0.99). The BP proportion influences all the color values (redness: 2–11; yellowness: 17–31.87; total color difference: 2–17). All formulations exhibited shear‐thinning behavior (n = 0.02–0.49) and higher hardness (0.2–0.4 N), but not all were printable. A significant decrease in adhesiveness (−0.2 to −0.03 N s) and higher storage modulus (2000–6000 Pa) occurred with an increased proportion of BP. Findings from detailed rheological behavior assessment (static, dynamic and three‐interval thixotropy tests) better correlated with trends observed during 3D extrusion printing. The highest yield stress was attained (80 Pa) in the 100:0 formulation. From the thixotropy test, more deformation (>80%) and recovery (>100%) were attained by three of the formulations (100:0, 80:20, 60:40). Overall, the best constructs were obtained (based on the visual sensory characteristics) for the 60:40 formulation printed at 600 mm min−1 printing speed and 240 rpm extrusion motor speed through a 1.22 mm nozzle. Conclusion: The findings of this work will provide valuable insights into the development of novel millet‐based 3D printed foods. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Billions of people around the world suffer from malnutrition, leading to severe adverse health effects. Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a multifaceted versatile crop with excellent nutritional profile which can help to combat nutritional disorders and climate change. In this study, we evaluated the global pearl millet germplasm panel known as PMiGAP for natural variation and genetic maker trait associations for important minerals, that is, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium along with phytate. The genotypes IP‐15947, IP‐5121, IP‐4020, IP‐12768, IP‐5695, IP‐8786 and IP‐11310 were found to be superior for majority of minerals examined but had lower phytate‐to‐zinc ratio. Phytate/mineral molar ratios are typically used to predict the bioavailability of iron and calcium contents in grains, and surprisingly none of the PMiGAP genotypes showed such ratios below threshold indicating PMiGAP entries studied in this study seriously suffer from bioavailability issues of these minerals. On the other hand, 73 genotypes had lower zinc/phytate ratio than the threshold in the germplasm panel. Iron and zinc content had significant positive association among them but phytate content in general was not significantly correlated with minerals except for magnesium and potassium. A genome‐wide association study using 456 K SNPs identified 74 significant marker–trait associations and 59 candidate genes around 50 Kb distance near the significant SNPs. Ten significant SNPs were found within the candidate genes. The associated markers and the candidate genes provide new insights into the genetic architecture of the mineral traits studied and will facilitate marker‐assisted selection to accelerate breeding of such minerals in future varieties to combat rising malnutrition problem via diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Characterize the yield traits and nutritional values of Maralfalfa grass (Pennisetum glaucum L. × P. purpureum Schumacher), under humid tropical conditions. Design/methodology/approach: The study was carried out in the Germplasm Bank from Rosario Izapa Experimental Unit, plant height, number of tillers, and fresh herbage and dry matter production were evaluated. Crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of grass samples were determined at 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 97 days. Results: Plant height, number of trillers, and fresh herbage and dry matter production increased as cutting age increased. In relation to the nutritional value, the crude protein content decreased as the cutting age increased, but the NDF and ADF content increased, consequently, the DVDMS decreased. Limitations of the study/implications: The study was carried out in the humid tropics; the evaluation is required to be carried out under dry tropic conditions. Findings/conclusions: The appropriate harvest time of Maralfalfa grass in humid tropical conditions is between 42 and 56 days of regrowth, whereas nutritional values decrease over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower chafer beetle, Oxycetonia versicolor (Fabricius) (Scarabaeidae: Coleoptera) destroys the blossoms of flowers and buds of significant crops like ground nut, brinjal, pearl millet and jatropha. The size of adult chafer beetle was found 5.6 - 16.5 mm in length and 5.6 - 8.9 mm in width. Sexual dimorphism was not seen. The body is oval, tiny, a little flattened and vividly coloured, red, marked with black elytra. Its prothorax is brick red with white dots on the back. Chafer Beetle was found during peak flowering period. A mild to moderate level of infestation was observed with 9-13 beetles per ten plants. Infestation was severe during May to September. Its peak activity period was noted during the 2nd week of August on Rosa chinensis. However in Rosa hybrida, it was found maximum 9.33 during 1st week of August. Mean population varied from 2.75, 2.17 to 9.25, 8.50 in Rosa chinensis and Rosa hybrida, respectively. Minimum population was seen in the month of May in both the species of roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Drought presents a major risk to wheat growth and productivity under changing climates. During the last few years, various morphological and physiological approaches were used to overcome drought stress-associated problems. Cultivation of tolerant wheat cultivars can serve as a sustainable choice to raise wheat yield under water stress. Herein, field trials were carried out at the experimental farm of Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Egypt, in two successive growing seasons (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) to investigate the response of four Egyptian bread wheat cultivars (Misr 1, Misr 3, Giza 171, and Sakha 95) to drought stress according to morpho-physiological characteristics, yield, and stress indices. Irrigation treatments and cultivars were assigned to the main and sub-plots, consequently, in a split-plot design with three replicates. The findings revealed that in both the first and second seasons, drought drastically revoked growth vigor of shoot, growth vigor of flag leaf, relative water content (%), membrane stability index (%), photosynthetic pigments, heading (days), maturity (days), as well as yield and yield attributes: spike length, number of spikes/m2, spike weight, grain number/spike, 100-kernel weight, grain yield/m2, straw yield/m2, biological yield/m2, and harvest index of all four wheat cultivars. Conversely, drought caused a marked increase in saturation water deficit (%), carotenoids content, and NKP uptake of all four wheat cultivars in both study seasons. The current study found that all four of the wheat cultivars were drought-tolerant plants. These cultivars exhibited similar drought-tolerant behaviors, which included decreased loss in relative water content, membrane stability, and photosynthetic pigment levels, consequently reducing wheat grain yield loss under water stress. Additionally, the drought tolerance indices of Sakha 95 > Giza 171 > Misr 1 > Misr 3 were revealed by the stress sensitivity index (SSI), mean productivity (MP), stress tolerance index (STI), and yield stability index (YSI). In conclusion, Misr 3 was the least tolerant wheat cultivar and Sakha 95 was the most tolerant. These results can be applied to breeding programs by plant breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The internal (farmer-controlled) and external (non-farmer-controlled) factors affect crop yield. However, not a single study has identified and analyzed yield predictors in India using effective predictive models. Thus, this study aims to investigate how internal and external predictors impact pearl millet yield and Stover yield. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive analytics and artificial neural network are used to investigate the impact of predictors on pearl millet yield and Stover yield. From descriptive analytics, 473 valid responses were collected from semi-arid zone, and the predictors were categorized into internal and external factors. Multi-layer perceptron-neural network (MLP-NN) model was used in Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 to model them. Findings: The MLP-NN model reveals that rainfall has the highest normalized importance, followed by irrigation frequency, crop rotation frequency, fertilizers type and temperature. The model has an acceptable goodness of fit because the training and testing methods have average root mean square errors of 0.25 and 0.28, respectively. Also, the model has R2 values of 0.863 and 0.704, respectively, for both pearl millet and Stover yield. Research limitations/implications: To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is first of its kind related to impact of predictors of both internal and external factors on pearl millet yield and Stover yield. Originality/value: The literature reveals that most studies have estimated crop yield using limited parameters and forecasting approaches. However, this research will examine the impact of various predictors such as internal and external of both yields. The outcomes of the study will help policymakers in developing strategies for stakeholders. The current work will improve pearl millet yield literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nutricereals, pearl millet flour consumption is hardly limited to a few specific regions of the world owing to the development of early rancidity on storage. Hot air assisted radio frequency technology (HARF) was used to improve the storage stability of pearl millet flour. Pearl millets at different moisture levels of 10.5±0.5, 12 & 15% were subjected to HARF for 5-, 10- & 15-min exposure period under fixed electrode position. The results revealed that significant reduction in peroxide value and free fatty acid values of flours from treated pearl millet was found compared to decorticated raw flour; thereby, the storage stability enhancement of pearl millet flour up to 180 days was achieved. No significant difference was found for emulsifying, foaming and cooking properties between treated pearl millet at 15% moisture, 15 min exposure and decorticated raw one. In contrast, the bulk density of flour from treated pearl millet was found higher. Significant increase in hardness of cooked grains after the treatment was observed while the springiness, cohesiveness and gumminess values did not vary. In FTIR analysis, no difference was observed between the peaks of whole and decorticated pearl millet flours in both untreated and treated samples. Graphical Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Regional Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand during the years 2019-20 to 2020-21 to study the phenotypic stability for grain yield in pearl millet genotypes. The experimental materials consisted of 91 genotypes; comprising 70 hybrids developed using line × tester design, five CMS lines and 14 testers, and two standard check hybrids GHB 538 and GHB 732. The mean square due to genotypes × environment interactions were significant for grain yield per plant, which revealed that genotypes interacted considerably with environment. Higher magnitude of G × E (linear) variance compared to G × E (non-linear) variance for grain yield per plant indicated that major portion of interaction was predictable in nature. The hybrids ICMA1-04999 × J-2587, ICMA1-98222 × J- 2604, ICMA1-98222 × 110-SB-15, ICMA1-98222 × 69-SB-18, ICMA1-98444 × J-2290, JMSA1-20158 × J-2479, JMSA1-20158 × J-2539, JMSA1-20158 × ICMR-15758, JMSA1-20159 × J-2479, JMSA1-20159 × J-2590 and JMSA1-20159 × 69-SB-18 were identified as stable and widely adapted for grain yield per plant.

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is one of the major millets with high nutritional properties. This crop exhibits exceptional resilience to drought and high temperatures. However, the processing of pearl millet poses a significant challenge due to its high lipid content, enzyme activity, and presence of antinutrients. Consequently, it becomes imperative to enhance the quality and prolong the shelf life of pearl millet flour by employing suitable technologies. Hydrothermal treatment in the food industry has long been seen as promising due to its potential to reduce microbial load, inactivate enzymes, and improve nutrient retention. This study aims to investigate the effects of hydrothermal treatment on the quality characteristics of pearl millet. The independent variables of the study were soaking temperature (35, 45, 55 °C), soaking time (2, 3, 4 h), and steaming time (5, 10, 15 min). Treatment conditions had a statistically significant effect on nutrient retention. Major antinutrients like tannins and phytates were reduced by 0.99% to 5.94% and 0.36% to 6.00%, respectively, after the treatment. Lipase activity decreased significantly up to 10% with the treatment conditions. The findings of this study could potentially encourage the use of pearl millet flour in the production of various food items and promote the application of hydrothermal treatment in the field of food processing.

Abstract Background Phospholipases constitute a diverse category of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of phospholipids. Their involvement in signal transduction with a pivotal role in plant development and stress responses is well documented. Results In the present investigation, a thorough genome-wide analysis revealed that the pearl millet genome contains at least 44 phospholipase genes distributed across its 7 chromosomes, with chromosome one harbouring the highest number of these genes. The synteny analysis suggested a close genetic relationship of pearl millet phospholipases with that of foxtail millet and sorghum. All identified genes were examined to unravel their gene structures, protein attributes, cis-regulatory elements, and expression patterns in two pearl millet genotypes contrasting for rancidity. All the phospholipases have a high alpha-helix content and distorted regions within the predicted secondary structures. Moreover, many of these enzymes possess binding sites for both metal and non-metal ligands. Additionally, the putative promoter regions associated with these genes exhibit multiple copies of cis-elements specifically responsive to biotic and abiotic stress factors and signaling molecules. The transcriptional profiling of 44 phospholipase genes in two genotypes contrasting for rancidity across six key tissues during pearl millet growth revealed a predominant expression in grains, followed by seed coat and endosperm. Specifically, the genes PgPLD-alpha1-1, PgPLD-alpha1-5, PgPLD-delta1-7a, PgPLA1-II-1a, and PgPLD-delta1-2a exhibited notable expression in grains of both the genotypes while showing negligible expression in the other five tissues. The sequence alignment of putative promoters revealed several variations including SNPs and InDels. These variations resulted in modifications to the corresponding cis-acting elements, forming distinct transcription factor binding sites suggesting the transcriptional-level regulation for these five genes in pearl millet. Conclusions The current study utilized a genome-wide computational analysis to characterize the phospholipase gene family in pearl millet. A comprehensive expression profile of 44 phospholipases led to the identification of five grain-specific candidates. This underscores a potential role for at least these five genes in grain quality traits including the regulation of rancidity in pearl millet. Therefore, this study marks the first exploration highlighting the possible impact of phospholipases towards enhancing agronomic traits in pearl millet.

Pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] is a subtropical grain and forage crop. It is privileged with several desirable forage attributes. Nevertheless, research on pearl millet is limited, especially as a forage crop, in developing countries. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the field performance and stability of pearl millet genotypes for forage yield across seven environments. The study was conducted in seven environments (combination of locations and seasons) during the 2016/2017–2018/2019 seasons. Twenty-five pearl millet genotypes, selected based on forage yield from a core collection of 200 accessions, were arranged in an alpha lattice design with three replications. The parameters measured were fresh forage yield, days to flowering, plant height, number of culms m−2, leaf-to-stem ratio, and stem girth. The combined analysis revealed that environments, genotypes, and their interaction had significant effects on all traits studied except the genotypic effect on stem girth. Across the seven environments, four genotypes (G14, G01, G12, and G22) outyielded the check genotype in fresh matter yield by 20.7, 16.5, 11.0 and 9.8%, respectively. The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis showed that the genotype, environment, and their interaction were highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) for fresh matter yield. The results of AMMI stability values (ASVs) and the genotype selection index (GSI) combined with the AMMI estimate-based selection showed that genotypes G14, G22 and G01 were the most stable and adapted genotypes and were superior to the check genotype. These results indicate that forage pearl millet varieties could be developed directly through evaluating the wealth of available collections or indirectly through hybridization in crop breeding programs.

Improvements in nitrogen use efficiency can be achieved through fertilizer management strategies that capitalize on nutrient synergies. However, limited research on synergies between nitrogen, sulfur, and calcium complicates understanding causal links and developing sustainable management. In this regard, the effects of different nitrogen sources on productivity and nitrogen use efficiency in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.)), along with their impacts on forage quality and secondary production, were investigated. Treatments included: Urea (46% N), ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3; 32% N), ammonium nitrate supplemented with calcium and sulfur (NH4NO3 (+), 27% N + 5% Ca + 3.7% S), and control treatment with no N application. The application of fertilizers that combine nitrogen with calcium and sulfur enhances primary production in both winter and summer pastures. Fertilization with NH4NO3 (+) increased nitrogen use efficiency by 125% in Italian ryegrass compared to NH4NO3. However, within the framework of rotatinuous grazing management principles, optimizing plant nitrogen use efficiency does not necessarily lead to a better forage quality or animal performance. These findings highlight that using fertilizers that promote synergies among nutrients, such as the combination of nitrogen with calcium and sulfur, can bring benefits to the sustainability of pasture-based livestock production systems.

Abstract Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus) is the sixth most significant cereal crop cultivated on 30 million ha and a staple diet for 90 million poor people across the globe. Besides abiotic stresses several biotic stresses have been limiting production of pearl millet in the semi-arid and arid regions. Although, the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) associated with key diseases like blast, rust and downy mildew resistance and nutritional content has been reported, the use of these QTLs is limited in breeding programs. To identify highly stable consensus genomic regions, we conducted Meta-QTL analysis using 191 QTLs reported in 12 independent studies over the last two decades. As a result, we report 34 Meta-QTLs regions on a consensus genetic map comprising of 692 markers and spanning 2070.7 cM. The confidence interval of Meta-QTLs was reduced by 3.63 folds (0.18–7.49 cM), in contrast to projected QTLs interval of 1.11–60.63 cM. Further, a total of 1198 genes were identified in 34 Meta-QTL regions. Among 34 Meta-QTL regions, Meta-QTL1.1 is found to be region of significant importance as it harbours genes for enhanced biotic stress tolerance, plant growth and development as well as genes related with enhanced seed development. Meta-QTL2.4 has highest number of genes with a significant role in disease resistance which contains basic leucine zipper domain, zinc family, leucine rich repeat regions. Meta-QTL3.1 has ABC transporter like activity coupled with the ATPase activity which has a role in Fe and Zn uptake in leaves and root tissues. These Meta-QTL regions can be used in genomics-assisted breeding for enhancing the blast, rust downy mildew resistance as well as yield and nutritional traits.

Sorghum and pearl millet have adapted to the socioecological environment in the dryland of West Africa and have been the staple crops for many years. Engaging key stakeholders and improving the sorghum and pearl millet breeding process is essential to addressing the evolving demands of end-users and environmental conditions. Unlike most trait preference studies focusing on men and women farmers' trait choices, we examined sorghum and pearl millet key value chain actors (VCA), including producers, processors, traders, and consumers. We identified their preferred traits of varieties that need to be mainstreamed into the breeding pipelines. Drawing on the past efforts and experiences of the sorghum and pearl millet breeding programs from the last 30 years, the study was designed to integrate gender equality in sorghum and pearl millet breeding decisions and traits prioritization in West Africa. This process was implemented in phases, leading to the drafting of gender-responsive and client-oriented product profiles. The paper elicited an understanding of how the roles and interests of sorghum and pearl millet VCA influence their varietal choice and adoption decisions. The study found both differences and similarities in the trait preferences of the men and women VCA. Most women, mainly in the production and processing nodes, prefer varieties with specific food and grain quality traits, while men prioritize grain yield and biotic stress resistance traits. Even though both men's and women's varietal choices align with their roles in production and consumption, grain yield was commonly desired across gender, crop, and value chain segments. The findings revealed that the gendered interest of actors in the crops' value chain determines their choice of variety. Gender responsiveness requires identifying and understanding the needs and choices of the sorghum and millet VCA and mainstreaming these into the breeding pipeline. The approach employed in the study elicits the understanding, roles, and interests of the various actors and how these factors influence men's and women's decisions to adopt a crop variety. All major stakeholders should co-develop product profiles for the variety being developed to enable co-ownership, increase adoption, and improve gender equity in agricultural technology development and deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPhosphorus (P) deficiency is a frequent problem in calcareous soils of Pakistan because of P-fixation, which poses significant threats to pearl millet productivity. The use of P-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) is regarded as a promising approach for improving P-availability in soil-plant systems. However, it needs optimization of P application into the soil. Therefore, this 2-year field study was conducted to optimize P doses in combination with PSB (Bacillus sp. MN54) inoculation to improve phosphorus use efficiency (PUE), yield, economic returns, and grain quality of pearl millet. Five P doses, i.e. 0 (native soil P only - control), 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg P2O5 ha−1 combined with and without PSB inoculated seeds were used in the study. The application of 90 kg P2O5 ha−1 + seed inoculation with PSB improved the grain yield by 36.8% and 36.0% during 1st and 2nd year, respectively. The same treatment significantly improved the PUE, grain protein, zinc (Zn), and total grain P contents compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, the highest economic returns (1053.3 and 1050.5 $ ha−1) and benefit:cost ratio were observed under 90 kg P2O5 ha−1 + seed inoculation with PSB during both years. In conclusion, application of 90 kg P2O5 ha−1 combined with PSB seed inoculation is a pragmatic option to improve P uptake, grain yield, PUE, grain quality and economic returns of pearl millet grown on calcareous soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]