The problems of low soil fertility resulting from continuous monocropping, crop residue removal and limited fertilizer use represent key challenges to produce surplus food for the ever increasing population of Ethiopia. However, the practices of crop rotation and integrated sources of fertilizer uses could potentially improve soil fertility and productivity. In 2012 and 2014, soybean with diffe...

The Box-Wilson central composite design (CCD) based on response surface methodology (RSM) was used for ethanol fermentation using very high gravity (VHG) finger millet hydrolysate. Optimized process variables were namely, concentrations of yeast extract, magnesium sulphate and pH of the medium. High gravity mashes (>300 g dissolved solids per liter) were prepared by a thermo-stable α-amylase, f...

The growing public awareness of nutrition and health care research substantiates the potential of phytochemicals such as polyphenols and dietary fiber on their health beneficial properties. Hence, there is in need to identify newer sources of neutraceuticals and other natural and nutritional materials with the desirable functional characteristics. Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), one of the m...

Rice, wheat, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet are the major cereal staples of Indian households but sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet are only consumed in the regions in which they are cultivated. Sorghum is the staple of central and western regions of Maharashtra and the northern regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and pearl millet is mainly consumed in the western states of I...

Child malnutrition is a major problem in Western Uganda where finger millet porridges are commonly used as complementary foods. This study aimed at improving the nutritional value and safety of finger millet porridges using Moringa oleifera, Cucurbita maxima and lactic acid fermentation. Proximate analysis, iron, zinc and vitamin A contents of composite flours was done according to AOAC methods...

Severe soil organic carbon (SOC) depletion is a major constraint in rainfed agroecosystems in India because it directly influences soil quality, crop productivity and sustainability. The magnitude of soil organic, inorganic and total carbon stocks in the semi-arid bioclimate is estimated at 2.9, 1.9 and 4.8 Pg respectively. Sorghum, finger millet, pearl millet, maize, rice, groundnut, soybean, ...

The ISCB project "Biofertilization and 'bioirrigation' for sustainable mixed cropping of pigeon pea and finger millet (BIOFI)" was conceived in 2013 and started with much enthusiasm in 2014. Two of the Swiss teams had considerable experience in the ISCB from previous phases, and they strongly welcomed the new approach of the ISCB to focus on the needs of small-holder farms in India and to coupl...

Finger millet crop is important minor millet, which can serve as both food and fodder. Manual harvesting of finger involves earhead stalk separately labor intensive. Hence, the study aimed to design develop a harvester for remove drudgery in achieve low cost harvesting. The machine parameters influencing millets were identified most prominent variety CO (Ra) 14 millet. A prototype was developed...

The major limiting factor for production and productivity of finger millet crop is blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. Since, the genome sequence information available in finger millet crop is scarce, comparative genomics plays a very important role in identification of genes/QTLs linked to the blast resistance genes using SSR markers. In the present study, a total of 58 genic SSRs were...

Knowledge of existing genetic variability is essential for initiating a successful breeding program. A set 628 finger millet accessions comprising from the core collection, farmer preferred and improved varieties released in Kenya, Tanzania Uganda were profiled nutrient content. Accessions showed very high different contents. Local cultivars ESA region had significantly lower levels main nutrie...