The Finger Millet Genome


Book Description

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of deliberations on domestication, genetic and genomic resources, breeding, genetic diversity, molecular maps & mapping of important biotic stress as well as nutritional quality traits, genome sequencing, comparative genomics, functional genomics and genetic transformation. The economic, nutritional and health benefits especially antioxidants mediated antiaging effects of finger millet are also discussed. It also presents the input use efficiency, wide adaptation, post-harvest processing and value addition of the crop. Altogether, the book contains about 300 pages over 16 chapters authored by globally reputed experts on the relevant field in this crop. This book is useful to the students, teachers and scientists in the academia and relevant private companies interested in genetics, pathology, molecular genetics and breeding, genetic engineering, structural and functional genomics and nutritional quality aspects of the crop. This book is also useful to seed and pharmaceutical industries.













Effects of Drought on Eleusine Coracana (L.) Gaertn. (finger Millet) and Identification of Microsatellite Markers


Book Description

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) is a crop with high nutritional profile cultivated mainly in developing countries. It is an allotetraploid (2n= 4x= 36 chromosomes), that belongs to the Poaceae family and has a genome size of 2509 Mbp. Drought is one amongst other abiotic stresses limiting a plant's growth and productivity. In order to better understand the physiological responses of finger millet to drought, 12 parameters were studied by subjecting plants to water withholding at 26 DAS and imparting water stress for 6 days. Analyzing control plants in parallel indicated that IE 7079 was the most sensitive accession and IE 5091 was the most tolerant accession to water withholding. 83 accessions of finger millet obtained from ICRISAT was genotyped using 31 polymorphic simple sequence repeats (SSRs) identified from transcript assemblies. A total of 152 alleles were generated by these 31 SSRs, with a mean of 4.9 alleles per locus and mean polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.49 Cluster analysis of these accessions showed considerable genetic variation in the varieties from different geographical origins. Identified polymorphic SSRs can be used to further expand the linkage map of finger millet.




Omics of Climate Resilient Small Millets


Book Description

This edited book covers all aspects of omics approaches used for the varietal improvement of millets in changing climatic conditions. Millets are the collection of small-grained cereal grasses, that are grown for human carbohydrate needs. They are among the oldest crops, mainly divided into two groups – Major and small millets based on seed size. Small millets are earlier considered orphan crops, but recently due to their nutritional values, they are getting importance in cultivation. This book explores the genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bioinformatics, and other omics tools that are being widely used to get a clear understanding of mechanistic approaches taken by plant genes to tolerate stress. Various reports are published based on field breeding on these crops, and recently the genome of some of the small millets is released, and many omics studies are published related to its application in varietal improvements. This book reviewed all those recent studies and is of interest to research students, plant breeding scientists, teachers that are working in agriculture and plant biotech universities. Along with this, the book serves as reference material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, and biotechnology. National and international agricultural scientists, policymakers will also find this to be a useful read.




Natural Diversity in the New Millennium


Book Description

Natural diversity has been extensively used to understand plant biology and improve crops. However, studies were commonly based on visual phenotypes or on a few measurable parameters. Nowadays, a large number of parameters can be measured thanks to next generation sequencing, metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics thus providing an unprecedented resolution in the detection of natural diversity. This enhanced resolution offers new possibilities in terms of understanding plant biology. Technology advances also contribute to a better assessment of the biodiversity loss currently taking place. Hence, the topic presents an overview on efforts for maintaining biological diversity in crops, on possibilities offered by recent technologies in the assessment of natural variation, and ends with examples of the diversity found even at the cellular level.




Neglected and Underutilized Crop Species for Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security: Prospects and Hidden Potential


Book Description

Global demand for food is rising as a result of increases in the global population as well as dietary changes. Furthermore, climate change exerts additional pressure on the food supply, adversely affecting sustainable food production. Increased temperatures and drought stresses coupled with the migration of pests limit crop yields and affect their nutritional quality. Many staple crops are unable to adapt to these changing climatic conditions. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nation to end hunger and promote good health and well-being, concerted efforts need to be made to enhance food production while mitigating the effects of climate change through the promotion of climate-smart agricultural practices and the utilization of neglected and underutilized crop species. These species can be highly nutritious and well-adapted to different agroecologies and climatic conditions, meaning that they offer the possibility of improving food and nutritional security.