On the eve of celebrating the ‘International Year of Millets 2023,’ the University of Hyderabad feels proud to showcase its contribution to millet research.
Dr. Muthu’s group at the Department of Plant Sciences works on millet research, particularly on foxtail millet and kodo millet. These millets are low-input, low-maintenance, and climate-resilient crops, tolerant to harsh growing conditions. On the other hand, the grains of these millets are nutritious. Thus, these millets have the potential to address food and nutritional security. To understand the genetic determinants of climate-resilience and nutritional traits, Dr. Muthu’s group deploys next-generation approaches.
Funded by IoE, SERB, and DBT, the research on millets is being extensively pursued in around 300 cultivars of foxtail millet and 100 kodo millet cultivars. The field research also studies how millet production and consumption can boost economic growth and generate decent jobs. With the support of IoE, SERB, and DBT, the University anticipates performing more in millet research, which will eventually contribute to the well-being of the global population.