Millet project maintained by:

Matt Couchman (developer) Katrien Devos (Principal Investigator) Mike Gale (Principal Investigator)

John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1603 452 571, Fax: +44 (0) 1603 502 241

What is Millet?
The name "millet" has been given to various grasses with small edible seeds which are generally borne on short (0.3 to 1.2 metres), slim stalks. Pearl millet is the exception to this description since its stalks are over twice as long (1.5 to 3 metres) and thicker. Although the millets have several common morphological traits the term millet is not a strict classification. Therefore the taxonomy of the millets span several tribes (see table) although they are all members of the Gramineae family.

At JIC, genome research is carried out on pearl millet, foxtail millet and finger millet.

Pearl millet has the seventh or eighth largest annual production in the world giving it significant economic importance. It is used both as food and for fodder. It is especially important in arid and semi-arid regions of India since it is one of the only crops that can survive in such dry conditions. Although generally well adapted to the food growing conditions in these regions, major constraints to yields are susceptibility to downy mildew infections and to abiotic stresses such as drought and high temperatures at the time of seedling establishment. The species has large phenotypic variation and several wild relatives that can intercross with it making it ideal for genetic study.

Finger millet derives its name from the morphology of the seedhead. It is an important cereal in Eastern and Southern Africa and India. The crop is highly nutritious, with high levels of the essential amino acid methionine. There is excellent scope for improvement through breeding for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, improved grain quality and enhanced yield.

Foxtail millet is native to temperate Eurasia and, today, is mainly produced in China. The crop is realtively drought tolerant and well adapted to arid and semi-arid growing conditions. Due to its small genome size, comparable to that of rice, and its inherent high levels of variation, it is rapidly developing as a model for genetic analyses.