Finger millet
A drought-tolerant cereal staple of Africa and Asia.
Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is an annual herbaceous plant and a tetraploid, self-pollinating cereal crop. It is widely grown in arid and semiarid regions of Africa and Asia, valued for its drought tolerance, ability to grow at high altitudes, and the long-term storability of its grain.
- field
- Agriculture, Botany
- known_for
- Drought-tolerant cereal crop; staple in East Africa and parts of Asia; grain suitable for decades-long storage
- native_region
- Ethiopian and Ugandan highlands
- growing_regions
- Eastern and southern Africa, India, Nepal
- altitude_range
- 500 to 2,400 metres (1,600 to 7,900 ft) above sea level
Lore & Background
Finger millet originated in the highlands of Ethiopia and Uganda, likely evolving from its wild relative Eleusine africana. The earliest archaeological record comes from an African site thought to date to the 3rd millennium BCE, though it has not been precisely dated. A claimed find in an Indian site from 1800 BCE was later shown to be incorrectly identified hulled millets.
By 1996, finger millet cultivation in Africa was declining rapidly due to high labor requirements, with farmers shifting to less labor-intensive crops like maize, sorghum, and cassava. In Asia, however, no such decline was observed. The crop is grown mainly in Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, India, and Nepal, as well as southern Sudan and as far south as Mozambique.
Reader's Guide
Finger millet is significant as a resilient cereal for marginal environments. It tolerates drought, cool temperatures, and altitudes up to 2,400 metres, making it cultivable on higher elevations than most tropical crops. It can grow on various soils, including lateritic and moderately acidic or alkaline soils, though it requires good drainage. The grain can be stored for decades, providing food security in arid regions.
Major biotic stresses include weeds, especially Eleusine indica, and the fungal disease finger millet blast (Magnaporthe grisea), which can cause yield losses up to 80% in bad years. Insect pests include the pink stem borer and finger millet shoot fly. Control measures involve cultural practices, chemical treatments, and resistant varieties. The parasitic weed Striga can also severely reduce yields. Despite challenges, finger millet remains a key crop in East Africa and parts of Asia, often intercropped with legumes or other cereals.
Did You Know?
- Finger millet grain is suitable for decades-long storage.
- It can withstand cultivation at altitudes over 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level.
- The earliest record of finger millet comes from an African archaeological site thought to date to the 3rd millennium BCE, though not precisely dated.
- Finger millet blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe grisea, can cause yield losses up to 80% in bad years in Uganda.
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