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Video of Millets Webinar on finger millet, 15 May 2025
by Don Osborn 17 May '25

17 May '25

The recording of our May 15, 2025 Millets Webinar on finger millet is now available at https://youtu.be/zfnoaIlUen4 Thanks again to Juan Ignacio Di Salvo and Srikanth Panthulugiri, for sharing their research and findings on finger millet at Iowa State University. Thank you also to Prof. Asheesh Singh, who was able to join us from a previously scheduled engagement. Among the notable aspects of this project is its having begun with a very large number of different accessions (varieties) of finger millet, to then continue with more promising ones. The presentations, in tandem, covered several topics, followed by discussion: * Introduction to finger millet & the research at ISU * Can we successfully grow finger millet in the US Midwest? * Growth & development stages of finger millet for farmers & researchers * Initiation of breeding program - crossing parents to develop varieties * Bringing useful genetic variation through mutation breeding * Conclusion & future research For previous Millets Webinars in our 2025 series, see https://www.youtube.com/@MilletsAlliance Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Millets Webinar, Thu. 15 May 2025, on finger millet
by Don Osborn 14 May '25

14 May '25

Here is more info on the upcoming Millets Webinar on finger millet (Thursday, May 15, at 11 am EDT/8 am PDT), including presenter bios and Zoom details. Juan Di Salvo and Srikanth Panthulugiri, doctoral students in plant breeding, will discuss their research and findings on finger millet at Iowa State University, where they work in Prof. Asheesh Singh's lab. Finger millet, or "ragi" (Eleusine coracana), is not widely known or researched in the US or its neighbors, nor is it grown in this part of the world at any scale. It originated in East Africa, and is a staple in parts of Africa and Asia. Globally, India is the largest producer (and exporter) of this grain. What could be the future of finger millet in North America? What does research in Iowa tell us? Presenter bios: * Juan Di Salvo is a PhD Student in Plant Breeding under Dr. Asheesh Singh at Iowa State University. He holds a B.S. in Agronomy from Universidad Nacional de Rosario and a MSc. in Integrated Crop and Soil Sciences from University of Kentucky and MSc in Plant Breeding at Iowa State University. During his Master's Juan worked in the description and identification of current finger millet accessions in the USDA germplasm collection for cultivation in the Midwest U.S. region and selection of parental candidates to develop new finger millet varieties. He also used the standardized BBCH chart as the baseline, to describe eight main stages of development and provided a simplified and user-friendly phenological growth staging scale for finger millet. * Srikanth Panthulugiri is a Ph.D. student in plant breeding at Iowa State University working in Dr. Asheesh Singh’s lab. Srikanth’s research focuses on mutation breeding in finger and proso millets to generate genetic variation and select superior mutants suited for Iowa and the Midwest. He is also exploring various emasculation techniques to make crosses in Finger millet. Prior to his Ph.D., he worked as a Research Fellow in the finger millet breeding program at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) from 2021 to 2022, where he contributed to the development of breeding and mutant populations. Topic: NAMA Monthly Webinar Session Time: Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 11 am EDT/8 am PDT Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86716347793?pwd=Fbp5YT9KNYKcum7obg94cExifEXrDE.1 Meeting ID: 867 1634 7793 Passcode: 340314 --- One tap mobile +19292056099,,86716347793#,,,,*340314# US (New York) +13017158592,,86716347793#,,,,*340314# US (Washington DC) --- Dial by your location • +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) • +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) • +1 305 224 1968 US • +1 309 205 3325 US • +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) • +1 646 931 3860 US • +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) • +1 360 209 5623 US • +1 386 347 5053 US • +1 507 473 4847 US • +1 564 217 2000 US • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) • +1 689 278 1000 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 253 205 0468 US • +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) Meeting ID: 867 1634 7793 Passcode: 340314 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/keg1tuTYWl -- Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Dates cited in "Pearl millet, " 1903 & other sources (Re: Collab Digest, Vol 39, Issue 18)
by Don Osborn 08 May '25

08 May '25

Thanks, Gary. I appreciate your perspective on why pearl millet hasn't yet been developed as a grain crop here. Regarding the content of the 1903 bulletin, it's interesting to note that one issue that it highlighted is unscrupulous business practices of some seed vendors of that era, who were apparently marketing pearl millet for forage under different names at higher practices. So the bulletin recommends farmers just buy "pearl millet" seed at better prices. Also, I'm reading that it was not until 1875 or later that pearl millet's cultivation "became at all general" in the Southern States. But that pearl millet and sorghum were introduced to the Southern States in the "fifties" (1850s). On the latter I have doubts. It is believed that sorghum first came to the US in the 1700s, in connection with the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Benjamin Franklin famously write about it in the context of broom-making in 1757. It's hard to believe that pearl millet didn't arrive until a century later, even if it may not have had as high a profile in the ag systems of the time. Some crops of African origin were apparently grown by enslaved people in whatever gardens they were permitted to have - could pearl millet have been one of them? Also note that some sources suggest that pearl millet may have been brought to some Spanish colonies in the New World as early as the 1600s - again, hard to imagine it didn't make it to British North America or the early US until two centuries later. Have yet to see a good history covering the early history of pearl millet in the US, It likely is given one or more different common appellations - for example an 1840 article in Farmers' Gazette and Cheraw Advertiser (Vol. 5, No. 36, 22 July 1840, page 1) refers to Pennisetum tiphoides (misspelling of P. typhoides, an earlier species name for pearl millet) as "Egyptian millet." See https://www.newspapers.com/image/352040494/ . Searching on "Egyptian millet," an 1823 Illinois paper printed a syndicated letter to American Farmer from a vinyard owner near Georgetown, DC, which in postscript describes planting some "Egyptian millet" seeds someone sent him, that "grew upwards of ten feet high, and has heads of more than twenty inches long..." - which sounds a lot like some African landraces of pearl millet (Edwardsville Spectator, Vol. 5, No. 225, 8 Nov. 1823, page 1 - https://www.newspapers.com/image/900580180/ ). So clearly, this plant was known before the 1850s, altho the name "Egyptian millet" is evidently used for other plants (as early as 1806, and even in Vermont), including sorghum. IMO we need a decent history of millets as a group in North America. There are different dynamics with the various species across the regions of this continent. That history (those histories) contribute to the larger narrative about the future of millets here. Anyway, will leave it there for now Don DO, EL, MI, US NAMA On Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM Gary Wietgrefe via Collab < collab(a)lists.millets2023.space> wrote: > The 1903 Pearl Millet bulletin stating that pearl has been in the country > for 30 years indicates southern farmers began adopting pearl millet for > forage after the Civil War. Stand establishment, early harvest, and seed > yield seemed to be the main issues then. The first two have generally been > resolved with better planting equipment, depth control, fungicide seed > treatments with grazing, haying and baleage improvements. > > Consistent competitive seed yield and value of stalks after harvest > likely remain why pearl has not been developed as a grain crop....Gary > Wietgrefe > > On Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 6:06 AM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> > wrote: > >> Send Collab mailing list submissions to >> collab(a)lists.millets2023.space >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. "Pearl millet," USDA, 1903 (Don Osborn) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:18:01 -0400 >> From: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> >> To: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space >> Subject: [Collab] "Pearl millet," USDA, 1903 >> Message-ID: >> < >> CA+RHibVOePtpJSJV_hkDq_st+HhxiaN0yf2jirTn_fYRKraU7Q(a)mail.gmail.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" >> >> Of historical interest, here's an early USDA pamphlet on pearl millet: >> >> "Pearl millet," by Carleton R. Ball, USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 168, >> Washington, Government Printing Office, 1903. (16 pages) >> https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85560/ >> >> The focus is on pearl millet as a fodder crop. >> >> >> Don Osborn, PhD >> (East Lansing, MI, US) >> North American Millets Alliance >>

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Save the date: Millets Webinar on finger millet, 5/15 at 11 am EDT
by Don Osborn 07 May '25

07 May '25

The next in the monthly Millets Webinar series will be next week, Thursday 15 May at 11 am EDT / 8 am PDT. Two doctoral researchers at Iowa State University who are also working in the Lab of Prof. Asheesh Singh will present on their research relating to finger millet: Juan di Salvo and Srikanth Panthulugiri. Some of you may recall that Juan presented in our April 2023 Millets Webinar on millets and climate change. Finger millet is the most important millet globally in terms of amount grown & produced, not to be produced for any purpose at any scale in North American agriculture. And is relatively little researched here. Given the resilience of this crop and the nutritional profile of its grain, what might be its prospects in the future? More details forthcoming shortly. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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All U.S./Canada millets available
by Don Osborn 05 May '25

05 May '25

Passing this on from Gary regarding seed sources for several different millets. I would just add a minor one: The Mutual Admiration Seed Association (MASA) in Boulder, CO is selling small quantities of finger millet that from the description come from a variety in India cultivated for grain. In the US, some people plant finger millet as a garden ornamental - for example, "dragon's claw" is an ornamental variety I saw elsewhere. Anyway gardeners are apparently MASA's main market. But anyone wanting to experiment on a very small scale with our May millet-of-the-month might find this interesting: https://masaseedfoundation.org/products/grain-ragi-finger-millet Gary's links below are to farm suppliers for serious quantities of seed of other millets. DO, EL, MI, US NAMA ---------- Forwarded message --------- For anyone wanting a choice of foxtail, pearl, Japanese, brown top, and proso millet seed in the U.S. or Canada, they can get it all from one company. U.S.: You searched for millet - Millborn <https://www.millbornseeds.com/?s=millet&post_type=product> ( https://www.millbornseeds.com/?s=millet&post_type=product) Canada: 25-Renovo-Seed-CAN_All-electronic.pdf <https://www.renovoseed.com/ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/25-Renovo-…> (drop to "Warm Season Grasses" Not that NAMA should promote one seed company over another, but Millborn Seed has the U.S. covered with dealerships and is well represented in Canada....Gary -- Author, Gary W. Wietgrefe

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Research review article on finger millet
by Don Osborn 04 May '25

04 May '25

A recent research review on finger millet - our May millet-of-the-month - outlines the many qualities that make this a crop and food to take note of. "It is a highly significant crop due to its rich nutritional and bioactive profile, diverse biological activities, and promising industrial applications, along with the high climate resilience." Simardeep Kaur, Arti Kumari, Karishma Seem, Gurkanwal Kaur, Deepesh Kumar, Surbhi Verma, Naseeb Singh, Amit Kumar, Manish Kumar, Sandeep Jaiswal, Rakesh Bhardwaj, Binay Kumar Singh, and Amritbir Riar. "Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.): from staple to superfood-a comprehensive review on nutritional, bioactive, industrial, and climate resilience potential." Planta. 2024 Aug 17; 260(3):75. doi: 10.1007/s00425-024-04502-2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00425-024-04502-2 & https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11330411/ The main sections of this review article on finger millet are: * Nutritional composition * Protein and amino acid profile * Carbohydrate and dietary fiber profile * Fat content and fatty acid profile * Vitamins and minerals profile * Nutritional comparison of Finger millet with other cereals * Phytochemical/bioactive compounds profile * Biological activities of Finger millet ** Antidiabetic ** Antioxidant and anti-ageing ** Anti-carcinogenic ** Cardio-protective ** Antimicrobial ** Osteoporosis * Industrial applications of Finger millet ** Functional ingredient in food industry ** Bioenergy production ** Nutraceutical applications * Resources available in Finger millet for crop improvement ** Identification of Genes and QTLs associated with major stress tolerance in Finger millet Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Millets, dogs, pigs and permanent settlement: productivity transitions in Neolithic northern China
by Brenner, David (CTR) - REE-ARS 03 May '25

03 May '25

Evolutionary Human Sciences <https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/evolutionary-human-sciences> , Volume 6 <https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/evolutionary-human-sciences/volume/…> , 2024 , e44 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ehs.2024.31 Millets, dogs, pigs and permanent settlement: productivity transitions in Neolithic northern China Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 November 2024 Chris J. Stevens<https://www.cambridge.org/core/search?filters%5BauthorTerms%5D=Chris%20J.%2…>, Yijie Zhuang<https://www.cambridge.org/core/search?filters%5BauthorTerms%5D=Yijie%20Zhua…> and Dorian Q. Fuller<https://www.cambridge.org/core/search?filters%5BauthorTerms%5D=Dorian%20Q.%…> The transition to sedentary agricultural societies in northern China fuelled considerable demographic growth from 5000 to 2000 BC. In this article, we draw together archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological and bioarchaeological data and explore the relationship between several aspects of this transition, with an emphasis on the millet-farming productivity during the Yangshao period and how it facilitated changes in animal husbandry and consolidation of sedentism. We place the period of domestication (the evolution of non-shattering, initial grain size increase and panicle development) between 8300 and 4300 BC. The domestication and post-domestication of foxtail (Setaria italica) and broomcorn (Panicum miliaceum) millet increased their productivity substantially, with much greater rate of change than for rice (Oryza sativa). However, millets are significantly less productive per hectare than wet rice farming, a point reflected in the greater geographical expanse of northern Neolithic millet cultures (5000–3000 BC) in comparison with their Yangtze rice-growing counterparts. The domestication of pigs in the Yellow River region is evidenced by changes in their morphology after 6000 BC, and a transition to a millet-based diet c. 4500–3500 BC. Genetic data and isotopic data from dogs indicate a similar dietary transition from 6000 to 4000 BC, leading to new starch-consuming dog breeds. Significant population increase associated with agricultural transitions arose predominately from the improvement of these crops and animals following domestication, leading to the formation of the first proto-urban centres and the demic-diffusion of millet agriculture beyond central northern China between 4300–2000 BC. This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.

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Pearl millet in Kazakhstan & Russia (plus a global perspective)
by Don Osborn 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

Mention of pearl millet in Russia in the Regenerative Farmers of America video on this grain had me looking for more information. (See earlier post, "Pearl Millet: The Drought Resistant Grain," 4/21, https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2025-April/000793.html ) I did not find much that was of use. There was one specific reference to pearl millet as a new crop in European Russia, but the web link didn't work: Gurinovich SO, Zotikov VI, Sidorenko VS (2020). "African millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) - A new crop in agriculture of Central Russia. Scientific and Production Journal," Grain legumes and cereals. 2:34:64-70. doi.org/10.24411/2309-348X-2020-11171 [caution with this http site which redirects to something at cyberdoi(dot)ru - I used a Tor browser to try to access, but ultimately the page was blank] My search came up with another article that cited the above, but discussed research on pearl millet in Kazakhstan, which of course is in Central Asia: R.K. Zhapayev, G.T. Kunypiyaeva, F.M. Mustafaev, S.Zh. Bekzhanov, and A.K. Nurgaliev, “Comparative Assessment of Pearl Millet Genotypes Under Arid Conditions of Southeast Kazakhstan,” SABRAO Journal of Breeding and Genetics, 55 (5) 1678-1689, 2023 http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2023.55.5.20 (I accessed it at this URL: https://sabraojournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SABRAO-J-Breed-Genet-5… ) There may be more on pearl millet in Central Asia, given its climate. Taking a step back, I think we're witnessing a modern expansion of the global range of cultivation of various millets, in a way picking up from where the ancient expansion left off. So, for example, pearl millet is now being tried in northern Eurasia, and foxtail millet in East Africa. In North America many species of millets were introduced in the early modern age, with potential changes in uses in the offing, and of course the expansion into northern latitudes of pearl millet and sorghum. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Re: [Collab] Collab Digest, Vol 39, Issue 18
by Gary Wietgrefe 30 Apr '25

30 Apr '25

The 1903 Pearl Millet bulletin stating that pearl has been in the country for 30 years indicates southern farmers began adopting pearl millet for forage after the Civil War. Stand establishment, early harvest, and seed yield seemed to be the main issues then. The first two have generally been resolved with better planting equipment, depth control, fungicide seed treatments with grazing, haying and baleage improvements. Consistent competitive seed yield and value of stalks after harvest likely remain why pearl has not been developed as a grain crop....Gary Wietgrefe On Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 6:06 AM <collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space> wrote: > Send Collab mailing list submissions to > collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > collab-request(a)lists.millets2023.space > > You can reach the person managing the list at > collab-owner(a)lists.millets2023.space > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Collab digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. "Pearl millet," USDA, 1903 (Don Osborn) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:18:01 -0400 > From: Don Osborn <don(a)milletsalliance.org> > To: collab(a)lists.millets2023.space > Subject: [Collab] "Pearl millet," USDA, 1903 > Message-ID: > < > CA+RHibVOePtpJSJV_hkDq_st+HhxiaN0yf2jirTn_fYRKraU7Q(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Of historical interest, here's an early USDA pamphlet on pearl millet: > > "Pearl millet," by Carleton R. Ball, USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 168, > Washington, Government Printing Office, 1903. (16 pages) > https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85560/ > > The focus is on pearl millet as a fodder crop. > > > Don Osborn, PhD > (East Lansing, MI, US) > North American Millets Alliance >

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"Pearl millet," USDA, 1903
by Don Osborn 29 Apr '25

29 Apr '25

Of historical interest, here's an early USDA pamphlet on pearl millet: "Pearl millet," by Carleton R. Ball, USDA Farmers' Bulletin No. 168, Washington, Government Printing Office, 1903. (16 pages) https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc85560/ The focus is on pearl millet as a fodder crop. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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