Nutrient Profiling and Health Benefits of Finger Millet (<i>Eleusine coracana</i> L.) in Kenya

Finger millet (<i>Eleusine carocana</i> L.) is a climate resilient cereal crop considered to be nutritionally rich with higher health benefits. However, there is limited information on the nutrients in Finger millet. Further, growing public awareness on nutrition and health care research substantiates the potential of finger millets as alternative crop. The objective of this study was to determine the macro and micro-nutrient profiles of 25 local and commercial varieties and new breeding lines from Egerton University, ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics), KALRO (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization), Gene bank and local landraces. Laboratory experiment was conducted at University of Cologne Germany in 2023.Complete randomized design with 4 replications was used. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis was used to determine the concentration of nutrients. Data was analyzed using Statistical analysis software and the treatment means separated using least significant difference at p≤0.05. The results showed that the highest content of macro nutrients P (Phosphorus), K (Potasium), Mg (Magnesium), Ca (Calcium) and S (Sulfur) was 641.76, 1241.65, 402.03, 904.74 and 245.86 mg/100g for genotypes KAL ATARI, KNE 628, KAL ATARI, KAL ATARI and KNE 628, respectively. The micronutrient elements B (Boron), Mn (Manganese), Fe (Iron), Cu (Copper), Zn (Zinc), Mo (Molybdenum) and Al (Aluminium) was found to range from 0.94-1.26, 4.33-45.02, 2.69-10.43, 0.05-1.18, 2.58-10.41, 0.09-0.20, 0.12-3.85 and 0.19-0.29 mg/100g respectively. The most nutrient dense genotypes were KNE 628, KAL ATARI, KNE 628, KAL ATARI, KNE628, ICFX1420314-6-5, NKRFM1 and ICFX1420293-1-1-1-1, respectively. These genotypes recorded high levels of both macro and micronutrient elements. The study provided useful information on the potential health benefits of finger millets and the most nutritious genotypes that could be used for breeding to improve nutrient status of finger millet varieties in breeding programs.