Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Nutritional and nutraceutical richness of neglected little millet genotypes from Eastern Ghats of India: implications for breeding and food value

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Planta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Main conclusion

The study provides nutritional profiling of unexploited little millets from Eastern Ghats, which has ample opportunities for future breeding programs for enhancing the food quality and holds great potential in food industry.

Abstract

Little millet is an important small millet native to the Indian subcontinent and their nutritional value has been underutilized compared to other cereals. It’s nutritional and nutraceutical profiling is essential to integrate the plants in developmental interventions. The present study evaluated comprehensive nutritional, nutraceutical and physico-functional properties of 14 selected little millet genotypes originated from Eastern Ghats of India and compared them with an improved variety (OLM 208) of the locality. The proximate compositions (per 100 g) showed significant variations, with moisture content ranging from 4.13 to 8.48 g, ash from 1.90 to 5.15 g, fat from 2.35 to 5.74 g, protein from 10.46 to 13.83 g, carbohydrate from 70.92 to 77.89 g, fiber from 2.03 to 7.82 g and energy from 372.8 to 391.1 kcal. These little millet flours are rich in phenol 5.37–12.73 mg/g, flavonoid 1.06–8.25 µg/g, vitamin C 12.72–22.86 µg/g, antioxidants 7.22–23.17%, iron 20.38 to 61.60 mg/ kg and zinc 17.47 to 37.59 mg/ kg. The first two components of principal component analysis captures 73.0% of the total variation, which reflected huge variability among the investigated genotypes. Maximum heritability and genetic advance were recorded in flavonoid, fiber, iron, zinc, phenol and vitamin C across the populations. Taken together, some indigenous little millet genotypes such as Mami, Kalia and Bada, were exceptionally rich in fiber, protein, energy, flavonoid, vitamin C and antioxidants and are nutritionally superior compared to other varieties from the locality. These nutrition rich little millet genotypes have ample opportunities for future breeding programs to enhance the cereal quality and holds great potential in food industry for making high value functional foods.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and material

Data will be available on reasonable request.

Code availability

NA.

Abbreviations

ECV:

Environmental coefficient of variation

GAM:

Genetic advance as percentage of the mean

GCV:

Genotypic coefficient of variation

GT:

Gelatinisation temperature

PC:

Paste clarity

PCV:

Phenotypic coefficient of variation

WAC:

Water absorption capacity

WSI:

Water solubility index

References

  • AOAC (2019) Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) Official methods of analysis of AOAC International, Gaithersburg.

  • Appiah F, Asibuo JY, Kumah P (2011) Physicochemical and functional properties of bean flours of three cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) varieties in Ghana. Afri J Food Sci. 5(2):100–104

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arunachalam V, Rengalakshmi R, Raj KMS (2005) Ecological stability of genetic diversity among landraces oflittle millet (Panicum sumatrense) in south India. Genet Resour Crop Evol 52:15–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asharani VT, Jayadeep A, Mallesi NG (2010) Natural antioxidants in edible flours of selected small millets. IntJ Food Prop 13(1):41–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ceasar AS, Maharajan T (2022) The role of millets in attaining United Nation’s sustainable developmental goals. Plants People Planet 4(4):345–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ceasar AS, Maharajan T, Krishna ATP, Ramakrishnan M, Roch VG, Satish L, Ignacimuthu S (2018) Fingermillet [Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] improvement: current status and future interventions of wholegenome sequence. Front Plant Sci. 9:1054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chandel G, Meena RK, Dubey M, Kumar M (2014) Nutritional properties of minor millets: neglected cerealswith potentials to combat malnutrition. Curr Sci 107(7):1109–1111

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra D, Chandra S, Sharma AK (2016) Review of Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn): a powerhouse of health benefiting nutrients. Food Sci Hum Wellness 5:149–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang CC, Yang MH, Wen HM, Chern JC (2002) Estimation of total flavonoid content in propolis by two complementary colorimetric methods. J Food Drug Anal 10(3):178–182

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhary R, Kumar V, Gupta S, Naik B, Prasad R, Mishra S, Kumar V (2023) Finger millet (Eleusinecoracana) plant–endophyte dynamics: Plant growth, nutrient uptake, and zinc biofortification. Microorganisms. 11(4):973

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Craig SAS, Maningat CC, Seib PA, Hoseney RC (1989) Starch paste clarity. Cereal Chem 66:173–182

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Desai H, Hamid R, Ghorbanzadeh Z, Bhut N, Padhiyar SM, Kheni J, Tomar RS (2021) Genic microsatellite marker characterization and development in little millet (Panicum sumatrense) using transcriptome sequencing. Sci Rep 11(1):20620

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Faysal ASM, Ali L, Azam MG, Sarker U, Ercisli S, Golokhvast KS, Marc RA (2022) Genetic variability, character association, and path coefficient analysis in transplant aman rice genotypes. Plants 11:2952

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ganapathy KN (2017) Genetic improvement in little millet. Millets and sorghum: biology and genetic improvement. John Wiley & Sons Ltd., New York, pp 170–183

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ganogpichayagrai A, Suksaard C (2020) Proximate composition, vitamin and mineral composition, antioxidant capacity, and anticancer activity of Acanthopanax trifoliatus. J Adv Pharm Technol 11(4):179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gowda NN, Siliveru K, Prasad PV, Bhatt Y, Netravati BP, Gurikar C (2022) Modern processing of Indian millets: a perspective on changes in nutritional properties. Foods 11(4):499

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gowda CVM (2014) Compendium of released varieties in mmall millets. Revalorizing small millets in the rainfed regions of South Asia. DHAN Foundation, India & Canadian Mennonite University, Canada.

  • Hariprasanna K (2019) Status of small millets variety registration under PPV&FR Act, 2001. Tech Rep. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25438.48967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IFCT (2017) Indian Food composition Table, National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Government of India, Hyderabad, India.

  • Itagi S, Naik R, Yenagi N (2013) Versatile little millet therapeutic mix for diabetic and non-diabetics. J FoodSci Technol 4(10):33–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson HW, Robinson HF, Comstock RE (1955) Estimates of genetic and environmental variability insoybean. Agron J 47:314–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamatar MY, Sreeramaiah H, Megha DR, Talawar S, Naik RK (2013) Evaluation of little millet (Panicum sumatrense) landraces for cooking and nutritional composition. Curr Res Biol Pharma 2(1):7–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaur M, Kaushal P, Sandhu KS (2011) Studies on physicochemical and pasting properties of taro (Colocasia esculenta L.) flour in comparison with a cereal, tuber and legume flour. J Food Process Technol 50(1):94–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnaswamy K (2011) Dietary guidelines for Indians. National Institute of Nutrition, India. pp 89

  • Kulsum U, Sarker U, Rasul MdG (2022) Genetic variability, heritability and interrelationship in salt tolerantlines of Aman rice. Genetika 54:761–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar P, Prasad R, Kumar R (2016) Underutilized millets: a way to nutritional security. Int J Environ AgricRes. 4:726–734

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar SR, Sadiq MB, Anal AK (2020) Comparative study of physicochemical and functional properties of panand microwave cooked underutilized millets (proso and little). Food Sci Technol 128:109465

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar SR, Sadiq MB, Singh G, Anal AK (2022) Formulation of nutritional and ready to mix gluten-freeporridge from proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) little millet (Panicum sumatrense) and legume fababean (Vicia faba). Food Sci Technol 59(7):2821–2829

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar K, Thakur L, Anjani K, Singh SK (2023) Biochemical characterization of grain iron and zinc content inlittle millet genotypes. Pharm Innov J 12(5):4399–4402

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kumari D, Madhujith T, Chandrasekara A (2017) Comparison of phenolic content and antioxidant activities ofmillet varieties grown in different locations in Sri Lanka. Food Sci Nutr 5(3):474–485

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matere BS, Bhavsar VV, Mate PA, Girase VS (2022) Genetic variability of yield and its components in littlemillet [Panicum sumatrense L.] local germplasm. J Agric Sci Technol. 47(3):258

    Google Scholar 

  • Mbanjo EGN, Kretzschmar T, Jones H, Ereful N, Blanchard C, Boyd LA, Sreenivasulu N (2020) The geneticbasis and nutritional benefits of pigmented rice grain. Front Genet 11:229

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nambi VA, Eganathan P, Philip PI (2012) Proximate and mineral composition analysis of little millet collectedfrom some millet growing areas in Tamil Nadu. Indian J Plant Genet Resour 25(2):189–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Nithiyanantham S, Kalaiselvi P, Mahomoodally MF, Zengin G, Abirami A, Srinivasan G (2019) Nutritional andfunctional roles of millets—a review. J Food Biochem 43(7):e12859

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Omaye ST, Turnbull JD, Sauberilich HE (1979) Selected methods for the determination of ascorbic acid inanimal cells, tissues and fluids. Methods Enzymol 62:3–11

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Palita SK (2021) Potential of underutilized wild crops in Koraput, Odisha, India for improving nutritional security and promoting climate resilience. Curr Sci 120:989–996

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Sailaja NH, Padhan B, Lenka K (2020) Sprouting-associated changes in nutritional and physicofunctional properties of indigenous millets from Koraput, India. Proc Natl Acad Sci India Sect B BiolSci 90:79–86

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Sailaja NH, Behera PK, Lenka K, Sharma SS, Lenka SK (2021) Genetic diversity of under-utilizedindigenous finger millet genotypes from Koraput, India for crop improvement. J Plant BiochemBiotechnol 30:99–116

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Panda D, Panda A, Prajapati H, Behera PK, Nayak JK, Lenka KC, Parida PK (2023) Genetic variability ofpanicle architecture and nutritional parameters in indigenous finger millet genotypes from Koraput, Eastern Ghats of India. Cereal Res Commun 51:1015–1029

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pasha VK, Ratnavathi CV, Ajani J, Raju D, Kumar MS, Beedu SR (2018) Proximate, mineral composition andantioxidant activity of traditional small millets cultivated and consumed in Rayalaseema region ofsouth India. J Sci Food Agric 98(2):652–660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patil KB, Chimmad BV, Itagi S (2015) Glycemic index and quality evaluation of little millet (Panicum miliare)flakes with enhanced shelf life. J Food Sci Technol 52:6078–6082

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pradeep SR, Guha M (2011) Effect of processing methods on the nutraceutical and antioxidant properties oflittle millet (Panicum sumatrense) extracts. Food Chem 126(4):1643–1647

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prasad VSS, Hymavathi A, Babu RV, Longvah T (2018) Nutritional composition in relation to glycemicpotential of popular Indian rice varieties. Food Chem 238:29–34

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prieto P, Pineda M, Aguilar M (1999) Spectrophotometric quantitation of antioxidant capacity through theformation of a phosphomolybdenum complex: specific application to the determination of vitamin E. Anal Biochem. 269(2):337–341

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rachkeeree A, Kantadoung K, Suksathan R, Puangpradab R, Page PA, Sommano SR (2018) Nutritional compositions and phytochemical properties of the edible flowers from selected Zingiberaceae found inThailand. Front Nut 5:3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramashia SE, Gwata ET, Meddows-Taylor S, Anyasi TA, Jideani AIO (2018) Some physical and functionalproperties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) obtained in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Res Int 104:110–118

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rao MV, Akhil KG, Sunil CK, Venkatachalapathy N, Jaganmohan R (2021) Effect of microwave treatment onphysical and functional properties of foxtail millet flour. Int J Chem Stud 9(1):2762–2767

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rashad MMI, Sarker U (2020) Genetic variations in yield and yield contributing traits of green Amaranth. Genetika 52:393–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadasivam S, Manickam A (2007) Biochemical methods. New Age International Pvt Ltd, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma B, Gujral HS (2019) Characterization of thermo-mechanical behavior of dough and starch digestibilityprofile of minor millet flat breads. J Cereal Sci 90:102842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma R, Sharma S, Dar BN, Singh B (2021) Millets as potential nutri-cereals: a review of nutrient composition, phytochemical profile and techno-functionality. Int J Food Sci Tech 56(8):3703–3718

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shinde BG (2001) Isolation and characterization of starch horse grain. Dissertation, Mahatma Phule KrishiVidyapeeth, Rahuri, India

  • Siroha AK, Sandhu KS, Kaur M (2016) Physicochemical, functional and antioxidant properties of flour frompearl millet varieties grown in India. J Food Meas 10:311–318

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srilekha K, Kamalaja T, Maheswari KU, Rani RN (2019) Evaluation of physical, functional and nutritionalquality parameters of kodo millet flour. J Pharmacog Phytochem 8(4):192–195

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Talukdar PR, Rathi S, Pathak K, Chetia SK, Sarma RN (2017) Population structure and marker-trait associationin indigenous aromatic rice. Rice Sci 24(3):145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Upadhyaya HD, Ramesh S, Sharma S, Singh SK, Varshney SK, Sarma NDRK, Ravishankar CR, NarasimhuduY RVG, Sahrawat KL, Dhanalakshmi TN, Mgonja MA, Parzies HK, Gowda CLL, Singh S (2011) Genetic diversity for grain nutrients contents in a core collection of finger millet (Eleusinecoracana (L.) Gaertn.) germplasm. Field Crops Res. 121(1):42–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uyoh EA, Ita EE, Nwofia GE (2013) Evaluation of the chemical composition of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schumand Thonn.) Taub. accessions from cross river state Nigeria. Int J Med Aromat 3(3):386–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Vetriventhan M, Azevedo VCR, Upadhyaya HD, Nirmalakumari A, Kane-Potaka J, Anitha S, Ceasar AS, Muthamilarasan M, Venkatesh Bhat B, Hariprasanna K, Bellundagi A, Cheruku D, BackiyalakshmiC SD, Vanniarajan C, Tonapi VA (2020) Genetic and genomic resources, and breeding foraccelerating improvement of small millets : current status and future interventions. Nucleus 63(3):217–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13237-020-00322-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vetriventhan M, Upadhyaya HD, Azevedo VC, Allan V, Anitha S (2021) Variability and trait-specificaccessions for grain yield and nutritional traits in germplasm of little millet (Panicum sumatrense Roth. Ex. Roem. & Schult.). Crop Sci 61(4):2658–2679

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Villegas R, Liu S, Gao YT, Yang G, Li H, Zheng W, Shu XO (2007) Prospective study of dietarycarbohydrates, glycemic index, glycemic load, and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle-agedChinese women. Arch Intern Med 167(21):2310–2316

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wambi W, Otienno G, Tumwesigye W, Mulumba J (2020) Genetic and genomic resources for finger milletimprovement : opportunities for advancing climate-smart agriculture. J Crop Improve 35(2):204–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yusuf M, Halilu M, Umar I, Filli KB (2017) Effect of barrel temperature feed composition and feed moisture content on some functional properties of dakuwa extrudates from blends of sorghum (Sorghumbicolour L.) groundnut (Arachis hypogeal L.) and tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus). Afri J Food Sci. Tech 8(9):150–161

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to The Head, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources for Laboratory facility. Authors are also thankful to the Regional Director, Biju Patnaik Agrobiodiversity Center, Jeypore and Mr. Rosan Kartikeyan, ORMAS, Koraput for providing little millet seeds.

Funding

Nil.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, Central University of Odisha, Koraput, Sunabeda, Odisha, 763 004, India

    Debabrata Panda, Pramila Muni & Aloukika Panda

  2. MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Koraput, Jeypore, Odisha, 764002, India

    Kartik C. Lenka & Prashant K. Parida

Authors
  1. Debabrata Panda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pramila Muni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aloukika Panda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kartik C. Lenka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Prashant K. Parida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Debabrata Panda.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

NA.

Consent to participate

NA.

Consent for publication

NA.

Additional information

Communicated by Dorothea Bartels.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Panda, D., Muni, P., Panda, A. et al. Nutritional and nutraceutical richness of neglected little millet genotypes from Eastern Ghats of India: implications for breeding and food value. Planta 259, 37 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04314-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-023-04314-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation