ABSTRACT
Millets are small-grained cereal food crops which are highly nutritious and are grown in marginal/low fertile soils with very low inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. These crops largely contribute to the food and nutritional security of India. Most of the millet crops are native to India and are popularly known as nutri-cereals, as they provide most of the nutrients required for normal functioning of the human body. Pearl millet, commonly known as bajra, is the sixth major cereal in terms of cultivated area and production and has the highest drought tolerance potential of all millets. Pearl millet is the most widely cultivated cereal in India after rice and wheat. It is rich in essential compounds such as protein, fiber, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Due to its rich composition of minerals and proteins, pearl millet has many health benefiting properties.
