Zerihun Tadele

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http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/61929

#### **Abstract**

Millets are major food and feed sources in the developing world especially in the semiarid tropical regions of Africa and Asia. The most widely cultivated millets are pearl mil‐ let [*Pennisetum glaucum* (L.) R. Br.], finger millet [*Eleusine coracana* (L.) Gaertn], foxtail millet [*Setaria italica* (L.) P. Beauvois], Japanese barnyard millet [*Echinochloa esculneta* (A. Braun) H. Scholz], Indian Barnyard millet [*Echinochloa frumetacea* Link], kodo millet [*Pas‐ palum scrobiculatum* L.], little millet [*Panicum sumatrense* Roth.ex.Roem. & Schult.], proso millet [*Panicum miliaceum* L.], tef [*Eragrostis tef* (Zucc.) Trotter] and fonio or acha [*Digitaria exilis* (Kippist) Stapf and *D. iburua* Stapf]. Millets are resilient to extreme environmental conditions especially to inadequate moisture and are rich in nutrients. Millets are also considered to be a healthy food, mainly due to the lack of gluten (a substance that causes coeliac disease) in their grain. Despite these agronomic, nutritional and health-related benefits, millets produce very low yield compared to major cereals such as wheat and rice. This extremely low productivity is related to the challenging environment in which they are extensively cultivated and to the little research investment in these crops. Re‐ cently, several national and international initiatives have begun to support the improve‐ ment of diverse millet types.

**Keywords:** Abiotic stress, drought avoidance, drought escape, drought tolerance, millet
