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Crop Trust's Crop Chronicles spotlights finger millet & fonio
by Don Osborn 06 Sep '25

06 Sep '25

Crop Trust's Crop Chronicles is featuring what it calls "opportunity crops." When accessed today, this featured 7 crops, among which fonio and finger millet (3 articles on the latter). See https://bold.croptrust.org/crop-chronicles There's also access on the page to their "Opportunity Crops Knowledge Base." Crop Trust is based in Bonn, Germany, and bills itself as "the only organization in the world that focuses solely on building and supporting a global system of genebanks for the conservation of crop diversity." Crop Trust and articles from it have been mentioned previously on this list a number of times. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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"Can Americas turn millets from forgotten grains into future staples?"
by Don Osborn 05 Sep '25

05 Sep '25

Suchetana Choudhury has written an Agrospectrum Analysis article on our 19 August 2025 webinar on millets in the Americas: "Can Americas turn millets from forgotten grains into future staples?" (1 Sep. 2025) https://agrospectrumindia.com/2025/09/01/can-americas-turn-millets-from-for… This is a very helpful summary of items discussed by the webinar presenters: * Gary Wietgrefe * Joni Kindwall-Moore * Cícero Beserra de Menezes * Sujala Balaji * Don Osborn This article also has the video of the webinar itself embedded, if you haven't already seen it. This webinar serves to raise the profile of millets as crops and foods not only in North America, which of course, is NAMA's focus, but also in our neighbors to the south. It also complements AgroSpectrum's earlier webinar on millets in Asia, Africa, and Europe. Our thanks again to Suchetana and her team, for making this webinar possible, and for her informative articles related to it, including the above and the Agrospectrum Analysis background article we previously shared: "Millets in Americas: From niche to necessity" (13 Aug. 2025): https://agrospectrumindia.com/2025/08/13/millets-in-americas-from-niche-to-… Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Collab list software upgraded to Mailman3
by Don Osborn 01 Sep '25

01 Sep '25

Dear all, Collab has received an upgrade in the GNU Mailman list software we use, which should assure smooth operation of the list into the foreseeable future. A side benefit is that the interface has a new look. Please check it out! The list homepage is now at https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman3/lists/collab.lists.millets2023.spa… ... from there you can access the archives, which are organized in a different way. However you can view in various modes from the same page. Search of course is still a feature. Comments welcome, as are any questions you may have about use of or navigating in the new interface. Don Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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FBN: "Finding new avenues for whole grain growth"
by Don Osborn 01 Sep '25

01 Sep '25

A recent article on the market for whole grain foods included mention of millet (presumably proso), sorghum, and teff: "Finding new avenues for whole grain growth," by Jeff Gelski, Food Business News, 21 Aug 2025 https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/28878-finding-new-avenues-for-who… Two consecutive paragraphs from the article are quoted below “‘Whole grains like oats, millet, sorghum and quinoa are seeing a notable rise in use across a wide range of food categories — from breads and crackers to waffles, cereals and pastas,’ Nikolov* said. ‘While ancient grain blends have been in the market for some time, there’s a growing trend of incorporating these nutrient-dense, often gluten-free, grains into more mainstream products. Their appeal lies not only in their unique textures and flavors, but also in their associations with health, sustainability, and dietary diversity — qualities that resonate strongly with today’s health-conscious consumers.’ “Quinoa, millet and spelt are appearing in breakfast cereal, said Tarrand Fiesel, vice president of sales and marketing for DakotaMB. She added sprouted, ancient and white whole wheat flours are popular in bread, rolls, buns and baking mixes, and whole grain chips, crackers, popcorn, bars and puffs are using ancient grains like sorghum, teff and amaranth.” * (Kelsi Nikolov, senior research and development scientist for Bay State Milling Co., Quincy, Mass.) Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Barnyard / Japanese / Echinochloa spp. millets - recent research
by Don Osborn 31 Aug '25

31 Aug '25

Most research on barnyard millet(s) seems to be done in India. In this email I'll share a sampling of recent research articles, but first, you may want to review a Collab post from 2 years ago exploring some of the basics: https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2023-June/000230.html The list is in reverse chronological order (year of publication), and abstracts from the articles. The numbering is only for convenience of reference (there are 14, of which 12 are journal articles, and 2 book chapters): 1. Bilna Joseph, Bhavadharani M, Nivetha S, Lavanya M, Jagan Mohan R, N Baskaran, and S Vignesh. 2025. "Synbiotic fermented barnyard millet drink: Exploring its nutritional profile, sensory attributes, and bioactive health potentials." Food Chemistry Advances, Vol. 6. 100872, ISSN 2772-753X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2024.100872 ABSTRACT: "The global market for functional beverages made from plant-based or non-dairy milk is rapidly growing. In developing tropical countries, plant-based food resources are insufficient to meet the protein needs of humans and animals. Millets, particularly barnyard millet, offer significant nutritional benefits due to their drought and pest resistance, high energy yield, and rich content of fiber, protein, iron, and zinc. This study developed eight health drink samples using barnyard millet and Spirulina sp., fermented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The protein content of bacterial fermented samples ranged from 1.39 % to 4.61 %, and yeast fermented samples from 2.52 % to 4.09 %. Carbohydrate content ranged from 5 % to 14.8 %, suitable for diabetics. The energy value ranked as LRFFD > LRFUFD > SCFFD > SCFUFD > SCFSP > LRFSP > LRFM > SCFM. Bacterial fermented samples had viscosities from 37.55 to 49.49 Pa.s., and fungal fermented samples from 37.55 to 49.59 Pa.s. GC–MS analysis identified oleic acid, which lowers cholesterol and reduces inflammation, and hexadecenoic acid, beneficial in managing Alzheimer's disease. Probiotics in the drinks support gastrointestinal health. Sensory evaluation showed that the LRFFD and SCFFD drinks had a good taste due to the incorporation of flavour." 2. Singh, Badal & Kumar, Mithlesh & Arya, Lalit & Singh, Amit & Shekhawat, Neelam & Malav, Pavan & Pandey, Chithra & Rani, Kirti & Pandey, Sushil. (2025). "Barnyard Millet." in Plant Genebank Utilization for Trait Discovery in Millets (pp.159-186) 10.1007/978-981-96-4043-0_6. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391156219_Barnyard_Millet ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet, a vital crop in warm and temperate regions like Asia, offers food security to underprivileged populations due to its nutritional richness and adaptability to challenging environments. Cultivated for both human consumption and animal feed, barnyard millet plays a significant role in regions unsuitable for rice production, with India being a major producer. The genus Echinochloa encompasses over 250 species, with Indian and Japanese barnyard millets (E. frumentacea and E. esculenta) as key varieties. Both species, domesticated thousands of years ago, exhibit traits typical of domestication syndrome, showing parallel evolution with their wild ancestors and offering insights into the domestication process. The diversity of barnyard millet is declining due to reduced cultivation and socioeconomic shifts in India. Conservation efforts primarily focus on ex situ collections in Japan and India, neglecting on-farm conservation. Addressing this gap is crucial for preserving the genetic diversity of barnyard millet in its natural environment. Expanding the genetic diversity of barnyard millet is essential, particularly for traits like disease resistance and seed size. Utilizing wild relatives’ gene pools and employing markers for trait incorporation are warranted. Interspecific hybridization has potential, but fertility barriers must be addressed with modern biotechnological tools. Systematic genetic analysis is vital for identifying agriculturally significant traits. Despite facing challenges like genetic erosion and limited access, collaborative efforts in conservation and innovation are essential to fully harness the potential of barnyard millet genetic resources for sustainable agriculture and food security." 3. Jacob Jinu, Krishnan Veda, Antony Chris, Bhavyasri Masimukka, Aruna C., Mishra Kiran, Nepolean Thirunavukkarasu, Satyavathi Chellapilla Tara, and Visarada Kurella B. R. S. 2024. "The nutrition and therapeutic potential of millets: an updated narrative review." Frontiers in Nutrition. Vol. 11 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1… ABSTRACT: "Millets are ancient small grains grown in arid and semiarid regions of the world. They are staple food for many people in Asia and Africa. They are abundant sources of minerals and vitamins, giving them the name Nutricereals. Moreover, millets contain valuable phytochemicals that impart therapeutic properties for various disorders and diseases, thus giving them nutraceutical value. A wide array of biochemical compounds are present in the plant parts as well as the grains. In the oldest texts of medicine in India and China, millets are mentioned for use for their medicinal value. There has been expanding interest and emerging facts about millets and their therapeutic uses. Ample evidence shows that consumption of millets amounts to correction of life style and metabolic disorders. Therapeutic properties of millets can be viewed in two ways, supplementary nutrition through minerals and vitamins, and therapeutic value through the presence of phytochemicals and specialty compounds that include flavonoids, phenolics, anthocyanidins and others that have antioxidant potential. Millets are gluten free, have low glycemic index and the phytochemicals aid in correction of lifestyle disorders and prevention of ailments like carcinogenesis. Supplementary benefits include treatment of anemia and calcium deficiency especially for pregnant women and young children. With the improvements in analytical methods for detection of various compounds, it is possible to identify the compound-specific genotypes in millets that can cater to the pharmacy industry. End-use specific genotypes can be bred to meet the demand. Millets being climate resilient, can contribute to a healthier life and better world through economic usage of natural resources." 4. Manasa R, Shekhara Naik R. 2024. "Effect of germination on the physico-functional and nutritional profile of barnyard millet (VL-172)." IP Journal of Nutrition Metabolism and Health Science. 7(3):119–126 https://jnmhs.com/archive/volume/7/issue/3/article/1945/pdf ABSTRACT: "Background: Barnyard millet is well-known for its abundant nutrients and adaptability, making it a promising candidate for product innovation, especially by exploring new processing methods like germination to boost its nutritional value and effectiveness. It is vital to examine both the physico-functional and nutrient characteristics of barnyard millet in order to fully harness their nutritional advantages in product development. Understanding factors such as grain size and properties like water and oil absorption capacity is crucial for creating inventive, nutritionally enriched foods that can meet a variety of dietary requirements and gain wider market acceptance. "Objectives: This scientific approach fosters the effects of germination on the physico-functional and nutritional properties of Barnyard millet. "Materials and Methods: Barnyard millet was collected and soaked for 12 hours and germinated in different time intervals, then dehydrated at 110◦C for 4 hours. Physical properties such as kernel size and volume were analysed. Functional properties, including oil and water absorption capacity, water solubility and nutritional analysis were conducted. "Results and Discussion: The study revealed that as the germination time increased, the length-width ratio increased, accompanied by a slight increase in 1000 kernel weight, volume and decrease in bulk density of germinated millet. Furthermore, functional properties such as oil absorption capacity, water absorption capacity and water solubility index increased with germination time, contributing to improved texture. There was increase in protein and fiber, slight decrease in fat content. The mineral content was increased upon germination. "Conclusion: The obtained results indicated slight variations in the physical and functional and nutritional characteristics of barnyard millet and its flour upon germination." 5. Pradhan PP, Bhuyan P, Nag G, Sahoo JP. 2024. "Genetic improvement of barnyard millet (Echinochloa esculenta): prospective and challenges." Technology in Agronomy 4: e027 https://doi.org/10.48130/tia-0024-0024 ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet is a vital yet underutilized cereal crop due to limited genetic research and improvement efforts. This review explores promising avenues like QTL mapping and Marker-Assisted Selection for targeted breeding, along with the exciting possibilities of genomic selection and speed breeding for faster variety development in barnyard millet. Even gene editing with CRISPR-Cas holds promise, but challenges like incomplete genome knowledge need to be addressed. Additionally, bioinformatics and systems biology approaches offer powerful tools to understand the complex interaction of genes and traits in barnyard millet. While limitations exist, actively pursuing these advancements can unlock barnyard millet's full potential, significantly impacting global food security and sustainable agriculture." 6. Sehrawat, A. et al. (2024). "Barnyard millet: A crop of promise elucidated through correlation and path analysis." Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 16(3), 1273 - 1281. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v16i3.5793 ABSTRACT: "With today's changing dietary demands and agricultural constraints, millets have become essential crops with significant agronomic and nutritional benefits. Among these, barnyard millet stands out for its resilience and nutritional richness. Despite its considerable nutritional and agronomic benefits, Barnyard millet suffers from a lack of recognition, relegating it to the status of a neglected and underutilized crop. The present study ventures into barnyard millet cultivation, utilizing correlation and path coefficient analysis to elucidate the complex interplay influencing its productivity and attributes. The study was conducted over two consecutive years and involved 172 genotypes with 23 yield-contributing traits under scrutiny. Panicle weight per plant (PWPP) (0.98), single panicle weight (0.81), biological yield per plant (0.79) and harvest index (0.71) exhibited strong positive correlations with grain yield per plant. While PWPP (0.82), PL (0.36), DSYPP (0.31) and HI (0.30) demonstrated high direct positive effects on grain yield per plant in the path coefficient analysis, emphasizing their significance in breeding programs. By improving these traits through selective breeding or genetic manipulation, researchers can potentially develop high-yielding varieties better adapted to varying environmental conditions. Conversely, days to maturity had a significant negative correlation with grain yield (-0.28) focusing on selecting early maturity genotypes. Panicle exertion (-0.30), biological yield per plant (-0.21) and flag leaf sheath length (-0.18) had the highest negative direct effects in the path analysis, suggesting their potential role as limiting factors in barnyard millet cultivation. Overall, these findings provide a roadmap for future research endeavours aimed at enhancing the productivity and resilience of barnyard millet, ultimately contributing to food security and agricultural sustainability in regions where this crop plays a vital role." 7. Amasiddha, B., Elangovan, M., Umakanth, A. V., Ganapathy, K. N., Venkatesh, K., Swarna, R., Deepika, C., & Srividhya, S. (2023). "Barnyard millet: Recent advances and improved technologies." Indian Farming, 73(1), 50-52. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/IndFarm/article/view/132572 ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea), due to its remarkable ability to withstand erratic rainfall and varying weather conditions has been classified as one of the drought stress hardy crop. It is largely cultivated in harsh and fragile environments, with minimal use of agricultural inputs. Barnyard millet with rich nutritional profile is one of the best choices for patients with dietary based health defects like diabetic, heart related diseases and celiac diseases. Presently, crop improvement programmes in barnyard millet are targeting recombination breeding, use of molecular markers, tagging genes/QTLs for nutritional qualities, biotic and abiotic stresses, improving/modifying the crossing techniques, mutation breeding to enhance the diversity etc. However, the whole genome sequencing in Indian barnyard millet is necessary to understand its adaptability and dissecting the phenotypic characters at genotypic level and utilizing the information in improving the yield contributing traits to break the stagnated yield levels." 8. Anjali Singh, Munnangi Bharath, Apurva Kotiyal, Lipakshi Rana and Devanshi Rajpal. 2022. "Barnyard millet: The underutilized nutraceutical minor millet crop." The Pharma Innovation. 11(6): 115-128 https://www.thepharmajournal.com/archives/2022/vol11issue6/PartB/11-6-188-6… ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet (Echinochloa species) has become one of the most important small millet plants in Asia, reflecting strong growth in global production. The genus Echinochloa includes two major species, Echinochloa esculenta and Echinochloa frumentacea, which are widely grown for human consumption and fodder. Barnyard millet is a good source of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and, in particular, contains more micronutrients (iron and zinc) than other major grains, and has a lower glycemic Index and gluten-free grains adds additional benefits, against various health issues such as obesity, diabetes, blood pressure control, cardiovascular disease and celiac disease. The carbohydrate content in barnyard millet is low and digested slowly, making barnyard millet a natural gift for busy modern humanity. In barnyard millet the fatty acids are linoleic acid followed by palmitic and oleic acid. It also exhibits a high rate of amylase reuptake, facilitating the formation of high levels of resistant starch. The present study highlights the importance of millets in terms of its nutritional values, pharmacological benefits, biological activities and applications of barnyard millet." 9. Bhatt D, Rasane P, Singh J, Kaur S, Fairos M, Kaur J, Gunjal M, Mahato DK, Mehta C, Avinashe H, Sharma N. "Nutritional advantages of barnyard millet and opportunities for its processing as value-added foods." Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2023 Nov;60(11):2748-2760. doi: 10.1007/s13197-022-05602-1. Epub 2022 Oct 3. PMID: 37711577; PMCID: PMC10497464. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10497464/ ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet (Echinochloa species) has received appreciable attention for its susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, multiple harvests in a year and rich in micronutrients, fibers and phytochemicals. It is believed that the consumption of barnyard millet can possess various health benefits against diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, skin problems, cancer and celiac disease. The flour of barnyard millet is gluten-free and can be incorporated into the diet of celiac and diabetic patients. Considering the nutritional value of millet, various millet-based food products like bread, snack, baby foods, millet wine, porridge, fast foods and millet nutrition powder can be prepared. Future research and developments on barnyard millet and its products may help cope with various diseases known to humans. This paper discusses barnyard millet's nutritional and health benefits as whole grain and its value-added products. The paper also provides insights into the processing of barnyard millet and its effect on the functional properties and, future uses of barnyard millet in the field food industry as ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products as well as in industrial uses, acting as a potential future crop contributing to food and nutritional security." 10. Renganathan, V. G., Vetriventhan, M., Veni, K., Vanniarajan, C., & Renuka, R. (2022). "Current Status and Future Prospects of Omics Strategies in Barnyard Millet." Springer Nature Singapore. (pp. 53–68). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-3907-5_3 ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp) is a wide-adaptive crop that produces larger seeds compared to other minor millets. It is one of the most important minor millet crops that is predominantly cultivated for human consumption in Asia and livestock feed in the United States. Barnyard millet has incredible resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses. Grains are highly nutritious with significant amount of protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and, most notably, micronutrients (iron and zinc) than other staple cereals. Despite these benefits, barnyard millet has received little attention in genetic and genomic studies for many years. Progress has been made in developing genetic and genomic resources over last few years, thanks to the reducing cost of sequencing technologies in polyploid and orphan millets species as well. Recently, the genome of wild and transcriptome sequences of cultivated Echinochloa species has facilitated the understanding of the genetic architecture of important agronomic and micronutrient traits. In this chapter, we discuss the importance of barnyard millet in the current climatic scenario and highlight the up-to-date status of genetic and genomics research and the research gaps that need to be addressed in this crop. This chapter also provides an overview of deploying omics approaches to study the barnyard millet for better understanding of crops’ nutritional richness and tolerance to environmental stresses." 11. Parveen Kumari, et al. 2021. "Barnyard Millet—Composition, Properties, Health Benefits, and Food Applications." in Handbook of Cereals, Pulses, Roots, and Tubers. CRC Press. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003155508-10/barnya… ABSTRACT: "Millets are the oldest crops cultivated by humans for domestic purposes. Barnyard millet (Echinochloa crusgalli [L.]), is a nutritionally important and preferred crop since it is a good source of quality protein and dietary fiber and contains a fair amount of soluble and insoluble fractions. Slow digestibility in barnyard millet due to its resistance starch and lower carbohydrate content makes it a suitable candidate for the functional food category. In addition, barnyard millet is also a well-known source of major healthy fatty acids, including palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acids. Barnyard millet contains double the amount of polyphenols and carotenoids than the other millets, which are known to have superb health benefits. This chapter covers the nutritional aspects, therapeutic applications, and processing advancement for better utilization of barnyard millet. It also includes the limitations and future perspectives on the development of varietal millet-based foods to meet the demand of growing populations." 12. N. Rajeswari, and V.P. Priyadharshini. 2021. "Evaluation of Nutritional and Nutraceutical Content of Polished and Unpolished Barnyard Millet - An Analytical Study." Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science. 9(3). http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.9.3.31 ABSTRACT: " Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacaea) is an indigenous under utilized millet variety of south India with bounty of health benefits due to the abundance of dietary fiber antioxidant and minerals like iron. This gluten free wonder millet can be a healthy alternate dietary source for diabetic, obesity and CVD patients. Scientific evidence based studies on nutritional quality of this millet both in polished and unpolished form is less. The current study aims at “Evaluation of nutritional and nutraceutical content of polished and unpolished barnyard millet”. Both polished and unpolished barnyard millets were procured from local market, cleaned to remove dirt, dust and stone. The cleaned millets were dried powdered and sieved using 60 mesh sieves (250 Micron). The powdered millet flour was stored in airtight container. Nutritional content of Barnyard millet was analysed for macro, micro nutrients and nutraceutical properties of both polished and unpolished form using standard AOAC method - 20th edition (2016). The analysed nutrient content were compared statistically at 99% and 95 % confidence interval (t-test).The result shows that, the quantum of carbohydrate present in polished barnyard millet was 11.37 % lesser than the milled parboiled rice and 9 % lesser than the brown rice and 12.45 % lesser than the raw milled rice. The total dietary fibre content of unpolished barnyard millet was 14.2 gm and polished barnyard millet was 8.5 gm. Crude fibre content of unpolished barnyard millet was noted as 11.2 gm and the same in polished barnyard millet was 4.5gm. The protein content of unpolished barnyard millet (10.4gm) was found to be superior to polished barnyard millet (6.8gm).The presence of nutraceutical components were more nutritionally superior in unpolished barnyard millet compared to polished one." 13. Shinde EM, Pawar VS, Rodge SM and Gajmal DB. 2021. "Health and immunity enhancing properties of barnyard millet and its use in the food industry: A study." Journal of Current Research in Food Science. 2(2): 40-43 https://www.foodresearchjournal.com/article/43/2-1-23-415.pdf ABSTRACT: "Consumers' appetite for nutritious and natural foods made from whole grains is rising. They are rich in dietary fibre, low glycemic load and have micronutrients like vitamin such as magnesium, iron and vitamin B. One of the fastest growing small millets is the Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea). In the review paper, major varietal variations were observed in physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient composition." 14. Shanmugapriya A, Nazni P. 2020. "Effect of Processing Techniques on Nutritional, Viscosity and Osmolarity of Barnyard Millet Based Diarrheal Replacement Fluids." Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science. 8(1). doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CRNFSJ.8.1.15 ABSTRACT: "Barnyard millet is one of the major crops and nutritionally superior to other cereals. It is an excellent source of nutrients and also contains moderate amounts of anti-nutrients such as tannin, phytic acid, and phenolic compounds. Traditional processing techniques enhance the edibility, nutritional quality, and reduce anti-nutritional factors. In the present study, an attempt was made to formulate barnyard millet flour-based diarrheal replacement fluid and analyze the effect of roasting and soaking methods on nutritional composition, viscosity, osmolarity, and sensory characteristics. The results showed there was a significant difference in nutritional, anti-nutritional, viscosity, and osmolarity properties of differently processed barnyard millet flour. Soaking of millet reduced the anti-nutritional factors such as tannin (2.21±0.01-2.96±0.03 mg/100gm) and phenolic compound (5.2±0.01-5.31±0.01mg/100g), similarly, roasting significantly increased the nutrients, and also lowered the viscosity of the replacement fluids (267.31±0.02 -543.90±0.09cP). The osmolarity of enzyme-treated roasted millet replacement fluids was comparable to the normal osmolarity range of plasma (275-295mOsm/kg). Roasted barnyard millet-based diarrheal replacement fluids had better sensory properties than raw and soaked millet. The mineral composition, viscosity, and osmolarity of roasted barnyard millet suggested that it has preferable attributes as a diarrheal replacement fluid." Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Echinochloa spp., rice-farming, & provenance of what the Mojave & Yuma grew
by Don Osborn 31 Aug '25

31 Aug '25

In contexts where farmers are trying to grow other crops, millets are frequently considered weeds. This is the case with Echinochloa species (the barnyard millet complex, including wild relatives) and rice cultivation in the US. Echinochloa, remember, is a genus with tolerance for flooding / waterlogging. The following article does a deep dive into Echinochloa spp. & rice cultivation, including detailed discussions of selected species and subspecies of the former: Godar, Amar S., and Jason K. Norsworthy. 2023. “Echinochloa in Mid-Southern U.S. and California Rice: What Is Known and What Are the Knowledge Gaps?” *Weed Technology* 37(4): 452–69. doi: 10.1017/wet.2023.52. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/weed-technology/article/echinochloa… According to that article, seeds of more than one Echinochloa species apparently accompanied rice seed brought to California. While commercial rice production in that state became established only in the early 20th century,efforts to grow rice there began decades earlier, with a Chinese connection. See "History" at https://www.usarice.com/thinkrice/discover-us-rice/where-rice-grows/state/c…, and also "Rice and Labor–The Asian Community in the Sacramento Valley" at https://www.pattyarnold.com/local.html So this provides a hypothesis for how the Mojave were managing or cultivating ankee millet - E. crus-galli as identified in the late 1890s (see https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2024-July/000561.html ) and the Yuma in a similar timeframe (see https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2024-July/000564.html ). Recall that these peoples practiced a recessional agriculture on the banks of the Colorado River before the flows of the latter were changed dramatically by the Hoover Dam. The hypothesis would be that ankee millet was descended from seed accompanying rice seed introduced maybe four decades earlier. Could the introduced Echinochloa spp. have spread from the Sacramento Valley to the lower Colorado in that time period? Native Americans in this region would likely have been familiar with the native Echinochloa muricata https://floranorthamerica.org/Echinochloa_muricata which is similar in appearance to E. crus-galli. E. muricata ("rough barnyard grass") is a useful plant, having apparently been used for thatching and matting ( https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/echinochloa/muricata/ ) and its seeds can be used for meal or flour (see ILPIN notes at https://wwv.inhs.illinois.edu/data/plantdb/detail/2902 ). Another question, following on the latter information, is whether the tall ankee millet identified by Thomas Williams as E. crus-galli ( https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Millets_%28IA_CAT872015… ) might actually have been a variety of E. muricata, misidentified and since lost? Way out of my depth on much of this, but it would be interesting to see any research on the history of Echinochloa spp. in North America. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Blue Dot Living article on millets, with focus on proso millet
by Don Osborn 30 Aug '25

30 Aug '25

"Introducing Proso Millet" by Caroline Saunders in Bluedot Living (22 Aug. 2025) spotlights this grain as a highly water efficient crop and tasty food. https://bluedotliving.com/introducing-proso-millet Among the millets, proso is already an established if relatively minor grain crop in the northern Great Plains, and one that has great potential in the face of climate challenges and dwindling groundwater reserves. A key to its wider adoption in North America is how it can gain wider acceptance in our diets. (It's typically sold in the US labeled simply as "millet.") The article features quotes from Prof. James Schnable (University of Nebraska-Lincoln & Dryland Genetics), Joni Kindwall-Moore (Snacktivist & NAMA), and Gary Wietgrefe (also of NAMA). It also references Bob's Red Mill and the work of Brian Levy (cookbook author and recipe developer). Note the recipe for Millet and Hazelnut Stone Fruit Galette at the end of the article.. Ms. Saunders is a noted free-lance journalist on food systems, climate cuisine, and media. Bluedot Living is a media company founded in 2021 that produces content focused on climate solutions, sustainability, and green living. . Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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List check. Please disregard
by MailmanLists Support 30 Aug '25

30 Aug '25

List check. Please disregard this test message. 21:50

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Japanese (barnyard) millet for food in North America?
by Don Osborn 30 Aug '25

30 Aug '25

"Barnyard millet" is our millet of the month in August. It's actually two separate but very closely related species - Echinochloa esculenta, called Japanese barnyard millet, or commonly in the US, simply Japanese millet, and E. frumentacea, called Indian barnyard millet, or sometimes in the US, "billion dollar grass." I understand that the term Japanese millet sometimes covers the latter as well. Sometimes their predecessor (wild) species are referenced as well - E. crus-galli and E. colona, respectively (altho there has been some discussion of those relationships). The "barnyard millets" are cultivated in North America as cover crops, for forage, and for wildlife. I am not aware of any barnyard millet cultivated ast scale or commercially for food. There was an instance of an Echinochloa species called "ankee" that grown for food by the Mohave a century ago, that I reported on this list last year - that post & ensuing thread can be accessed at https://lists.millets2023.space/pipermail/collab/2024-July/thread.html#561 . No further info on that at this time. This past April, I contacted a seed seller in Kentucky - Roundstone Native Seed, LLC - to inquire about a note they had on a webpage about Japanese millet. The link to the page is https://roundstoneseed.com/wildlife-food-plot-seed/284-japanese-millet.html and the note on it was (and is still): "We are working to source seed that is for human consumption and will make pages for that available once we have the seed available." In response to my inquiry about whether there might be any developments on this, they kindly replied that they still haven't found any such seed. Personally, I'm intrigued by the potential for Japanese (barnyard) millet - E. esculenta - as an alternative grain crop in the more humid zones of North America. There would be a long road before that might become a reality, however. One quick story about the use of Japanese millet for wildlife and hunting. About a year and a half ago, ast year my son and I visited a Michigan DNR field in the vicinity of Rose Lake near Bath, MI. that had old posted signage relating to pheasant hunting. By chance I happened to see on the side of the large field (there was a clearing around it and a copse of trees in its middle) the dried head and stem of what was clearly an Echinochloa species. Clearly this had been planted there and cut. Went back this year but the field had been used for hay production with quite a number of round bales present. There were no plant remains I could identify to give any clues about the species or mix planted. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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Reynald Gauthier (aka "Millet King"), 1966-2025
by Don Osborn 29 Aug '25

29 Aug '25

Passing on the sad news of the passing of Reynald Gauthier, a Manitoba farmer and promoter of proso millet, who used the title "Millet King" in his commercial venture with this grain. Obituary: https://www.afh.ca/obituaries/Reynald-Gauthier The website of his enterprise at MilletKing.com has no content now, but you can access an archived version at https://web.archive.org/web/20250404054927/https://milletking.com/ A nice article on Mr. Gauthier and his plans was mentioned on this list in November 2023. That is now available only in archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20240418092956/www.bnnbloomberg.ca/canada-mille… Thanks to Gary Wietgrefe for mentioning this recently. He had been in touch with Mr. Gauthier in the recent past, including by phone (when, if I recall the story, the latter was literally in his fields). Millets have lost a champion in Canada, it seems, but certainly he inspired others before his untimely departure. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance

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