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Chapter 17 - Pearl Millet
- Edited by Dominic Fuccillo, University of Arkansas, Linda Sears, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Paul Stapleton, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome
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- Book:
- Biodiversity in Trust
- Published online:
- 22 September 2009
- Print publication:
- 28 August 1997, pp 243-258
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Summary
Pearl millet is a coarse grain cereal annually grown on the Indian subcontinent and in Africa, primarily for its grain and secondarily for its stover that is variously used as fuel, fencing and roofing material (Rachie and Majmudar 1980). In the USA, Australia and South Africa it is grown as a warm-season forage crop.
India accounts for 10.5 million ha out of the total area of 11.2 million ha annually planted to pearl millet on the Indian subcontinent. In western Africa, 17 countries grow pearl millet on 10.8 million ha, but the five major countries accounting for 90% of the total area are Niger (3.5 million ha), Nigeria (3.2 million ha), Burkina Faso (1.1 million ha), Mali (1.0 million ha) and Senegal (0.9 million ha).
BOTANY AND DISTRIBUTION
Pennisetum, the largest genera in the tribe Paniceae, consists of more than 140 species (Clayton 1972) and is divided into five sections: Gymnothrix, Eu-Pennisetum, Penicillaria, Heterostachya and Brevivalvula. The genus includes both annuals and perennials, sexual and asexual reproduction, and apomictic species. Species have large variation in chromosome number, 2n=10 to 2n=72, in multiples of 5, 7, 8 and 9 (Table 17.1). The lowest chromosome number (2n=2x=10) occurs in P. ramosum (Hochst.) Schmeinf. Those with x=7 chromosomes include cultivated pearl millet, its wild and weedy subspecies, P. schweinfurthii Pilger (2n=2x=l4) and P. purpureum Schumach. (2n=4x=28). Pennisetum massaicum Stapf (2n=16 and 32) is the only known species with x=8. All other species have x=9. Pearl millet belongs to the section Penicillaria.
Chapter 19 - Rice
- Edited by Dominic Fuccillo, University of Arkansas, Linda Sears, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Paul Stapleton, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome
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- Book:
- Biodiversity in Trust
- Published online:
- 22 September 2009
- Print publication:
- 28 August 1997, pp 273-291
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Summary
Rice feeds half the world's people, mainly in Asia. Their food security and crop biodiversity depend upon continued access to seed developed from thousands of locally adapted varieties of Oryza sativa and O. glaberrima that Asian and African farmers have grown for generations, the more than 20 species of wild rice native to Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceania, and the related genera in the tribe Oryzeae. Worldwide, about 80 million ha of rice are grown under irrigated conditions, the most important rice production system, with average yields of 3-9 t/ha. Athough four CGIAR centres (IRRI, WARDA, CIAT and IITA) hold and use rice germplasm, only IRRI has a global mandate to conserve and improve germplasm. Other centres have regional or continental mandates in Africa and Latin America.
The aggregate population of the less-developed countries grew from 2.3 billion in 1965 to 4.1 billion in 1991. Asia accounted for 59% of the global population, about 92% of the world's rice production and 90% of global rice consumption. Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam are the world's largest rice producers, accounting for about 78% of world production (IRRI 1995). Even with rice providing 35–80% of total calories consumed in Asia and with a slowing of growth in total planted area, production has so far kept up with demand. The world's annual rough rice production, however, will have to increase by almost 70% over the next 35 years to keep up with population growth and income-induced demand for food.
Chapter 20 - Sorghum
- Edited by Dominic Fuccillo, University of Arkansas, Linda Sears, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome, Paul Stapleton, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, Rome
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- Book:
- Biodiversity in Trust
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- 22 September 2009
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- 28 August 1997, pp 292-308
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Summary
Cultivated sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, is the fifth most important cereal in the world after rice, wheat, maize and barley. The countries with the greatest areas of sorghum production are India (12.9 million ha), Sudan (5.7 million ha), Nigeria and the USA (4.0 million ha each) and Niger (2.35 million ha). Other major producers include Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela in the Americas; Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mali, Tanzania, Chad, Cameroon, Somalia and Mozambique in Africa; China, Pakistan and Yemen in Asia. In terms of production, the major sorghum-growing countries of the world are the USA (17.5 million t), India (12.4 million t), China (5.1 million t), Mexico (4.4 million t), Nigeria (4.0 million t) and Sudan (3.3 million t). In many other countries, production is much lower but sorghum is a significant part of the agricultural production and a very important food crop for millions of poor farmers. This is particularly true for rain-fed areas of Asia and Africa. In many areas, the stalks and foliage (used as fodder, fuel, thatching and fencing material) are valued as much as the grain.
BOTANY AND DISTRIBUTION
Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (2n=20) is synonomous with Holcus bicolor L., Andropogon sorghum (L.) Brot. and Sorghum vulgare Pers. Sorghum has been called great millet, guinea corn, milo, sorgo (English); sorgho (French); sorgo (Spanish, Portuguese); jowar, cholam, jonna (India); kaoliang (China) and durra (Sudan).
Sorghum bicolor is considered an extremely variable crop-weed complex. It comprises wild, weedy and cultivated annual forms which are fully interfertile.