Assessment of Finger Millet Germplasm in Relation to Nutritional Perspective

Background: Finger millets serve as a major food in resource-poor countries of Asia and Africa by providing 75% of total calorie intake next to fine cereal grains and gluten-free cereal products. Finger millet an ideal crop for use as a staple food and for famine reserve. The crop has dual importance as source of food grain as well as straw for fodder. Methods: Thirty one finger millet germplasm with four checks obtained from AICRP on Small Millets, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kolhapur and used in this investigation. Result: Proximate composition and mineral content analyses revealed significant variations in crude protein (6.23-7.76%), crude fiber (2.30-3.55%) and ash ranging from (1.83-2.77%). calcium content ranged from (273-380 mg/100 g), magnesium content observed (142-193 mg/100 g). Highest iron content observed in KFMG 2266 with 4.33 mg/100 g, zinc content ranged from (2.13-2.98 mg/100 g) and highest phosphorus content recorded in KFMG 2261 with 268 mg/100 g.