About this Research Topic
This Research Topic will form a foundational research collection in anticipation of the International Year of Millets 2023, to help achieve the upcoming year's goal of sustainably integrating millets into our food systems.
Today, just 12 crops provide 75% of the world’s food supplies, and of that, rice, wheat, and maize provide 50% of global dietary requirements. While these crops are the primary suppliers of carbohydrates, they lack essential amino acids and minerals for balanced nutrition. Millets, pseudocereals, and minor pulses are “ancient” grains with potentially great and underexplored nutraceutical properties. The C4 photosynthesis of millets, plus their low agricultural requirements and environmental stress tolerance make them golden crops of the future.
In recent years, there has been a revived interest in the cultivation and consumption of millets. Keeping in view the global scenario, this Research Topic is an attempt to bring together the present status and future outlook of millets, pseudocereals, and minor pulses. We hope to increase the awareness among the masses about diversifying and adapting our cropping systems to future consumer needs (nutritional security) and a changing environment.
The dependence on only a few crops leads to a high vulnerability of modern cropping systems to climate change and the accompanying weather extremes. Broadening our food sources through the integration of so-called orphan crops (millets, pseudocereals, and traditional pulses) can help to mitigate the effects of environmental change and improve nutritional security.
Despite the potential of these underutilized ancient grains, efforts of genetic improvement lag considerably behind those of major crops. The progress in novel breeding methods and molecular techniques developed in model plants and major crops will allow a rapid improvement of these underutilized crops. Trait mining and genetic enhancement of these traditional grains by the implementation of modern breeding tools could improve the nutritional quality and climate resilience of future cropping systems.
The topic will cover recent advances in understanding complex floral biology and hybridization techniques, next-generation breeding, and functional genomics for trait discovery and genetic gains of orphan crops. The collection will include all major and minor millets, pseudo-cereals, under-utilized pulses, and other potential crops of immense nutraceutical potential. We welcome Original Research, Review, Methods, and Opinion articles within, but not limited to, the subjects of:
• Advancements in floral biology and hybridization techniques;
• Genetic and genomic resources of millets and potential crops;
• Stress adaptation of millets and potential crops;
• Next-generation genotyping and phenotyping;
• Transcriptomics and proteomics of millets and potential crops;
• Climate resilience, and roles in a sustainable farming system.
Today, just 12 crops provide 75% of the world’s food supplies, and of that, rice, wheat, and maize provide 50% of global dietary requirements. While these crops are the primary suppliers of carbohydrates, they lack essential amino acids and minerals for balanced nutrition. Millets, pseudocereals, and minor pulses are “ancient” grains with potentially great and underexplored nutraceutical properties. The C4 photosynthesis of millets, plus their low agricultural requirements and environmental stress tolerance make them golden crops of the future.
In recent years, there has been a revived interest in the cultivation and consumption of millets. Keeping in view the global scenario, this Research Topic is an attempt to bring together the present status and future outlook of millets, pseudocereals, and minor pulses. We hope to increase the awareness among the masses about diversifying and adapting our cropping systems to future consumer needs (nutritional security) and a changing environment.
The dependence on only a few crops leads to a high vulnerability of modern cropping systems to climate change and the accompanying weather extremes. Broadening our food sources through the integration of so-called orphan crops (millets, pseudocereals, and traditional pulses) can help to mitigate the effects of environmental change and improve nutritional security.
Despite the potential of these underutilized ancient grains, efforts of genetic improvement lag considerably behind those of major crops. The progress in novel breeding methods and molecular techniques developed in model plants and major crops will allow a rapid improvement of these underutilized crops. Trait mining and genetic enhancement of these traditional grains by the implementation of modern breeding tools could improve the nutritional quality and climate resilience of future cropping systems.
The topic will cover recent advances in understanding complex floral biology and hybridization techniques, next-generation breeding, and functional genomics for trait discovery and genetic gains of orphan crops. The collection will include all major and minor millets, pseudo-cereals, under-utilized pulses, and other potential crops of immense nutraceutical potential. We welcome Original Research, Review, Methods, and Opinion articles within, but not limited to, the subjects of:
• Advancements in floral biology and hybridization techniques;
• Genetic and genomic resources of millets and potential crops;
• Stress adaptation of millets and potential crops;
• Next-generation genotyping and phenotyping;
• Transcriptomics and proteomics of millets and potential crops;
• Climate resilience, and roles in a sustainable farming system.
Keywords: millets, grains, trait mining, genetic enhancement, next generation sequencing, ancient grains, breeding
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
