Role of Genome Sequences of Major and Minor Millets in Strengthening Food and Nutritional Security for Future Generations

Abstract

Millets are small-seeded cereals belonging to the family Poaceae. They are considered to be climate-resilient and future nutritional food cereals for humans. Millets are resistant to biotic and abiotic stressors compared to other major cereals and thrive in low-quality soils with little maintenance and less rainfall. The importance of millets is still not well known to many people due to the lack of popularity and cultivation in semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa. The United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM 2023) to promote millet cultivation and popularize their health benefits globally. A few years ago, the application of molecular biology was in its infancy in millets due to the unavailability of genome sequences. Genome sequences are available for most of the millets on NCBI and Phytozome databases. In this review, we discuss the details of genome sequences for millets, candidate genes identified from the native genome of millets. The current status of quantitative trait loci and genome-wide association studies in millets are also discussed. The utilization of millet genome sequences in functional genomics research and translating the information for crop improvement will help millet and non-millet cereals survive harsh environments in the future. Such efforts will help strengthen food security and reduce malnutrition worldwide in 2050.