This book provides global information on utilization of plant genetic resources (PGRs) of major millets. It discusses various aspects such as genebank resources, valuation of germplasm, genomics-assisted trait discovery and their utilization for cultivar development. PGRs are the backbone of crop improvement program essential for reaching global food security. Millets are an important crop globally as they provide food security, nutrition, cultural significance, livelihoods, and environmental health security. Its promotion by the enhancement of area under cultivation and varietal development by efficient use of PGRs is the need of the hour. Hence, for sustainable production of millets, efficient use and management of millets' PGRs are equally important.
Traditional methods of PGRs' management are being challenged by the ever-changing needs, priorities, climate, technologies, and policies. To address this issue of sustainable management of PGRs, there is a need to create awareness among the various stakeholders in a scientific manner covering all aspects from conservation to utilization. This book also discusses advances in tools and techniques used for phenotyping, genotyping, and genomic-assisted trait discovery in millet crops.
The target audience for this book are research scholars, scientists and academicians involved in the field of utilization and conservation of PGRs. This book serves as a reference material to postgraduate students studying millet crops.