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Cereals For The Semi-Arid Tropics

OAR@ICRISAT

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/4275/
 
Title Cereals For The Semi-Arid Tropics
 
Creator de Wet, J M J
 
Subject Millets
Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description The region of semi-arid tropics is the most famine prone area of the world. This reglon
with nearly one billion people extends across some 20 million square kilometrer. Major
domesticated cereals adapted to semi-arid regions are sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L )
Moench), foxtail millet (Seraria rralica (L.)P . Bcauv.) and pearl miller (Pcnn~scrumg laucum
(L.) R. Br.). Several minor cereals arc grown as speciality crops, or harvested in the wild
in times of severe drought and scarcity. lmponant in the African Sahel are the fonios Digiraria
ibum Sfapf. D. exilis (Kapist) Smpf and Brachiana dejlexa (Schurnach.) C.E. Hubbard.
These species arc aggressive colonizers and are commonly encouraged as weeds in cultivated
fields. Sown genotypes differ from their close wild relatives primarily in the lack of efficient
natural seed dispersal. The fonios lend themselves to rap~dd omestication. Several wild cereals
extend well beyond the limits of agriculfure into the Sahara. Commonly harvested are the
perennial Sripagrosris pungens and Panicum rurgidum, and the annual Cenchrur brj7orvs
(kram-kram). Kram-kram yields well under extreme heat and drought stress. and holds
promise as a domesticated cereal. Sauwi millet (Panicurn sononun) is promising cereal in arid
northwestern Mexico.
 
Date 1989
 
Type Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/4275/1/CP_324.pdf
de Wet, J M J (1989) Cereals For The Semi-Arid Tropics. In: Proceedings Of An Advisory Group Meeting On The Possible Use Of Mutation Breeding For Rapid Domestication Of New Crop Plants, 17 To 21 Nov. 1986, Vienna, Australia.