ABSTRACT
Agriculture systems have improved food production globally, but in countries like India that have witnessed green, white, yellow and rainbow revolutions, the nutritional scenario is not yet satisfactory. A large part of the population of India is still afflicted by under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and over-nutrition – the ‘triple burden of malnutrition’. In addition, climate change, a fast-growing population and the depletion of soil and water are threatening food and nutrition security.
Major cereals alone cannot address this challenge; small millets (SMs) could play an essential role in that regard. SMs are environmentally friendly, drought resistant and have a smaller carbon footprint. They are popular as food in India and other countries of East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, while they are used as feed in Europe. Unlike other cereals, SMs have limited bioavailability of micronutrients due to anti-nutrient contents. These constraints are being addressed by research institutions through concerted efforts on both on improving the nutritional and processing qualities. Their breeding efforts have led to the release of high-yielding and micronutrient-enhanced varieties for improved cultivation. These activities have been possible due to high nutritional profile within and between varieties, successfully characterized and evaluated in genebanks. This chapter provides an overview of germplasm characterization and the novel technologies deployed so far to maximize the nutritional benefits of SMs and their products.
