Background: Finger millet is an inevitable traditional climate-smart crop of Jharkhand, which has the potential to address the problem of malnutrition on a sustainable basis. However, despite its nutritional and health potential, it is on the verge of extinction. The revival of finger millet in the daily diet of people requires diversification of the products suiting to the changing needs of the consumers. Rapid industrialization and urbanization and changes in the eating habits of Indian people led to a very high demand for convenience mix. Therefore, an attempt was made to develop a low-cost finger millet-based burfi and halwa mix and evaluate the nutritional quality of the mixes. 
 
Methods: Two types of burfi mix and&nbsp;halwa mix were developed by using ragi malt or ragi semolina, wheat and germinated green gram supplemented with milk powder, groundnut, etc. Developed products were subjected to sensory evaluation on a 9-point Hedonic scale and analyzed for proximate composition, calcium, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and &szlig;-carotene by standard methods.&nbsp; 
 
Result: All products were found acceptable. Both experimental burfi and halwa mixes were found superior in terms of protein, fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper and zinc.

Formulation and Evaluation of Finger Millet based Convenience Mixes

<div>World&rsquo;s population is growing exponentially and agriculture has to fulfil their food requirements. An important strategy for increasing productivity and labour utilization per unit area of available land is to intensify land use. Intercropping is advanced agro technique of cultivating two or more crops in the same space at the same time. It increases in productivity per unit of land via better utilisation of resources, minimises the risks, reduces weed competition and stabilizes the yield. Millets are ancient nutri-cereals which play an important role in food and nutritional security of the country. They are commonly grown as sole crop world-wide. Pulse production can be increased by growing pulses on favourable lands that are occupied by cereals and cash crops by way of intercropping. The combination of cereal and legume in intercropping is mostly preferred by the farmers in subsistence farming targeting livelihood security. In this study, the works carried out by various researches in millet and pulse based intercropping are discussed. This review would be useful to the researchers who are involved in this field.</div>

<div>Millet and Pulses Based Intercropping: A Review</div>

<div>Background: Although crop residues rich in lignocellulose are a potential source of energy, their utilization is limited due to lack of lignolytic activity of the rumen microbial population. Feed processing by heat treatment is known to break the ligno-cellulolse complexes, in which extrusion has been reported as one of the best processing techniques to improve the nutritional value and efficient utilization of complete diets. A comparative evaluation of extruded complete feed based on finger millet straw, a conventional crop residue, along with areca sheath and maize cob has been taken up in this study. 
 
Methods: The extruded complete feed was prepared using roughage and concentrate at proportion of 40:60, respectively. Twenty four Mandya lambs of about 3 to 4 months of age with body weight ranging from 7.8 to 12.9 kg were divided into three groups of eight each in a completely randomized design. Feeding trial was carried out for 12 weeks. The animals were randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups viz., T1 (Finger millet straw based extruded complete feed), T2 (Areca sheath based extruded complete feed) and T3 (Maize cob based extruded complete feed). Digestion trial was conducted using 5 animals in each group during the last week of the growth trial. 
 
Result: Analysis of chemical composition (%) revealed that, maize cob and areca sheath were comparable with finger millet straw except that the maize cob contained lower total ash (2.52 v/s 8.61) and higher NDF and hemicellulose content (86.66 v/s71.61; 29.79 v/s17.18). Rumen in vitro net gas (ml/200 mg DM/24 h) production and energy density (ME MJ/kg DM) was higher in areca sheath and maize cob as compared to finger millet straw. There was significant difference in total DMI (g/d and g/kgW0.75) among the treatment groups (P&le;0.05). There was also a significant difference in OM, CP, EE and ADF intake (P&le;0.05). The ADG (g) and FCR (g DMI/g BW gain) for T1, T2 and T3 groups were statistically non-significant. The mean apparent digestibility (%) of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF was significantly different among the treatment groups(P&le;0.01). The per cent Digestible organic matter in dry matter (DOMDM) (T1:70.89,T2:76.13and T3:63.33) was also significantly different among the treatments (P&le;0.01). It was concluded that the growth rate of lambs fed finger millet straw, areca sheath and maize cob based extruded complete feeds was comparable and could be utilized to sustain production performance of growing Mandya lambs.</div>

Comparative Evaluation of Extruded Complete Feeds based on Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Straw, Areca (Areca catechu) Sheath and Maize (Zea mays) Cob in Mandya Lambs

Plant-based milk refers to a plant-derived liquid that mimics the texture and appearance of bovine milk. Plant-based milk alternatives (PMAs) have emerged as viable substitutes for cow&rsquo;s milk, driven by rising consumer demand for allergen-free, nutritionally enriched and environmentally sustainable products. This review provides an in-depth examination of millet milk, focusing on its nutritional profile, processing technologies, functional properties, health implications and ecological sustainability. Millets, often referred to as &ldquo;nutri-cereals,&rdquo; are inherently gluten-free and abundant in essential nutrients, antioxidants and bioactive compounds, making them particularly suitable for individuals with lactose intolerance, as well as vegan and health-conscious populations. Both traditional (soaking, germination, fermentation) and advanced methods (ultrasonication, enzyme-assisted extraction, high-pressure processing) are emphasized for their roles in improving the nutritional quality, sensory acceptability and storage stability of millet-based milk. Furthermore, millet milk demonstrates significant potential in functional food innovation, including probiotic beverages, dairy analogues and health-oriented snacks. Beyond notable health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and gut-regulatory effects, millet cultivation supports sustainable agricultural practices due to its minimal input requirements and low environmental impact. Nevertheless, concerns regarding product uniformity, consumer acceptance and regulatory policies remain. Ongoing advancements and growing awareness indicate that millet milk could substantially contribute to the future of plant-based dairy, while promoting food security and environmental resilience. 
&nbsp;

Plant based Milk (Millet Milk) as a Vegan Alternative to Bovine Milk: A Comprehensive Review

<div>Background: White Pekin ducks can be reared under intensive rearing system for meat and egg production. Depending upon the availability, duck farmers use different types of cereals for feeding their ducks. Therefore, a study was conducted to find out the performance of White Pekin ducks during mid phase of layingfed on wheat and/or broken rice based diets under intensive rearing system.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: White Pekin laying ducks (45; 41 weeks old) were divided into three groups. Three types of diets without (BR-0) and with broken rice (BR), replacing 50 (BR-50) and 100 (BR-100) per cent of wheat were prepared and offered randomly to the above three groups till the ducks attained 52 weeks of age under standard feeding and management practices.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The total egg production (dozen) and duck day egg production (DDEP) % were higher in BR-50 group (4.51 and 64.44) than the BR-100 group (3.85 and 55.00); however, both were similar to BR-0 group (4.09 and 58.49). The total feed intake (12.55-13.80, kg) and feed conversion ratio (feed consumed in kg per dozen eggs produced) (2.93-3.31) were similar among the groups. The cost (Rs.) per egg was lower in BR-50 group (7.79) than the BR-0 group (8.32) and BR-100 group (8.71). The egg weight in BR-50 group (76.61 g) was higher than the BR-0 group (75.42 g); however, both were similar with BR-100 group (76.19 g). There was no significant difference in the egg shape index (68.22-69.69), albumen index (0.13-0.14) and yolk index (0.42-0.44) among the groups. The However, the Haugh unit in BR-100 groups (87.32) was lower than BR-0 group (89.90); but both were similar with BR-50 group (89.56). There were no significant differences in the percentage of albumen (55.09-55.71), yolk (31.75-32.38) and shell (12.45-12.63) among the groups. Similarly, the shell thickness with membrane (0.50-0.52, mm) and without membrane (0.43-0.44, mm) were also similar among the groups. It can be concluded that White Pekin ducks can be raised on wheat and/or broken rice-based diets during mid phase of laying under intensive rearing system; however, mixture of wheat and broken rice in equal ratio increased the performance and was economical.</div>

Performance of White Pekin Ducks Fed Wheat or Broken Rice based Diets during Mid Phase of Laying under Intensive Rearing System

<div>Background: Under nutrition is a condition due to insufficient intake of energy and nutrients to meet an individual&rsquo;s needs to maintain good health. Cereals and millets based supplementary foods represents good source of essential nutrients. Recently, millets are tagged as nutri-cereals and its health promoting benefits are attracting consumers worldwide. The current study was aimed to develop millet based ready-to-use composite mix and to evaluate its quality in terms of usage in various traditional foods and shelf life. 
 
Methods: RTU composite mix was developed using locally available cereals, millets, pulses and oilseeds. The nutrient composition of developed mix was analyzed. The traditional region specific foods namely Dose, roti and Mudde (Ragi ball) was prepared and subjected for sensory evaluation. Further mix was stored up to three months at room temperature and evaluated for microbial load, moisture, free fatty acid and peroxide value. 
 
Result: Protein, fat, carbohydrate and energy content of the mix were 18.5g, 9.56g, 58.21 g and 393.24 kcal per 100 g respectively. Roti was best accepted (7.63), followed by mudde (7.50) and dose (7.03). Free Fatty Acid (FFA) was increased from 1.08 per cent to 1.56 per cent oleic acid, whereas peroxide value (PV) was increased from 7.46 to 9.35 mEq O2/kg of oil during storage. Total bacterial count (TBC) was increased from 4.5 X 102 to 8.1 X 103. The developed RTU mix which has nutritional potential needs to be popularized to address under nutrition and for overall good health of the society.</div>

​Nutritional Composition and Shelf Life Evaluation of Millet based Composite Mix

<div>Background: In view of the increasing price of soybean meal, it has become necessary to use alternate protein sources in poultry diets. The feeding value of Rice-based DDGS (r-DDGS) was evaluated in the diet of Vanaraja chicks during the nursery phase of rearing.</div>

<div> 
Methods: Two types of rice-based distillers dried grains with solubles (r-DDGS) having high (57%) and medium (47%) crude protein (CP) contents were evaluated separately at 5 and 10% levels in the diet of Vanaraja chicks on isocaloric and isonitrogenous basis and compared with the control diet without r-DDGS. A total of 300 Vanaraja chicks were divided at random into 5 experimental groups with 10 replicates of 6 chicks each and fed the diets during 0 to 6 weeks of life.&nbsp;</div>

<div> 
Result: The body weight at 6 weeks was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher at the 5% level of r-DDGS and at the further higher level of 10% r-DDGS, the body weight, however, was similar to that of control. Feed intake was higher in the groups fed r-DDGS, whereas feed conversion efficiency was poor at the higher level of r-DDGS. Serum protein and cholesterol concentration, DM digestibility, protein retention, carcass yields and organ weights were not affected, except for the reduced weight of intestine in the groups fed r-DDGS. No significant differences were observed between the two types of r-DDGS for their effects on the variables studied. It is concluded that r-DDGS could be fed to Vanaraja chicks up to 10% in the diet without affecting growth performance, while beneficial effects on performance were noted at the lower level of 5% r-DDGS in the diet.</div>

<div>Performance, Serum Biochemical Profile, Slaughter Characteristics and Nutrient Retention of Vanaraja Chicks Fed Rice-based Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles in Diet</div>

<div>Background: Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is the second-most widely planted species of millet. It is known for its health benefits. Laddu are ball-shaped sweets popular in the Indian Subcontinent.&nbsp;Laddus are made of flour, ghee and sugar with other ingredients that vary by recipe. They are often served at festive or religious occasions. Hence, an attempt was made to develop foxtail millet based value added laddu.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Optimization of foxtail millet flour, ghee, sugar and roasting time was carried out. Sensory evaluation was done by nine point hedonic scale.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Standardization trials indicated that acceptable foxtail millet laddu could be developed by incorporating 50 per cent foxtail millet flour, 50 per cent bengal gram dhal flour, 45 per cent ghee, 75 per cent sugar powder and 40 minutes of roasting time in the standard laddu recipe. Physical and descriptive qualities of prepared laddus were also carried out. The nine-point hedonic scale was used for sensory evaluation. The developed foxtail millet laddu was highly accepted.</div>

​Development of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) based Laddu

<div>Background: Barnyard millet is one of the significant small millets cultivated in India. It has provided a good source of nutrients. Its production is low in low fertile soil. For that study undertaken into supplying balanced nutrition to achieve maximum yield by following soil test crop response-based fertilizer prescription equation.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The Inductive methodology adopted in the field experiment for developing a scientific basis of fertilizer prescription for barnyard millet was performed on Periyanaickenpalayam soil series of Inceptisol soil order of Tamil Nadu during 2019-2020. The initial soil available nutrient status, grain yield, total nutrient uptake by barnyard millet and fertilizer N, P2O5 and K2O and FYM applied were taken into account for calculating four basic parameters for developing fertilizer prescription equation viz., Nutrient Requirement (NR) to produce 100 kg of barnyard millet grains, the contribution of nutrients from soil (Cs), fertilizer (Cf) and FYM (Cfym).&nbsp; 
 
Result: The fertilizer prescription equations and ready reckoner were developed to prescribe fertilizer dosage for a range of soil test values for specific yield target of barnyard millet on Inceptisol. It can be adopted on the Periyanaickenpalayam soil series of Tamil Nadu and also in regions with allied soil types.</div>

Targeted Yield Model-based Balanced Nutrient Recommendation for Barnyard Millet on Inceptisol of Tamil Nadu

<div>Background: Eleusine coracana (finger millet) is the fourth most important millet in the world. Finger millet is the powerhouse of health benefiting nutrients; however, it is still underutilized. Sapota contains a diverse range of phenolic compounds (as natural antioxidants) and flavonoids which has drawn the attention of many researchers. Keeping in mind the importance of traditional food products and growing popularity of convenience food market, the study was aimed to develop a ready to reconstitute (RTR) finger millet and sapota based halwa mix. 
 
Methods: The rate of addition of milk, sugar and dried sapota chunks were studied and optimized using response surface methodology.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The formulation with 208.8 ml of milk, 52.9 per cent sugar (per cent of weight of the dried halwa) and 9.4 per cent dried sapota chunks (percent of weight of dried halwa) was optimized for the development of RTR halwa mix. The analyses were based on sensory scores and rehydration ratio. The nutritional, bio-chemical, sensory and microbial attributes of the optimized halwa mix were evaluated.</div>