Kodo millet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kodo millet
Scientific classification
Genus:	Paspalum
Species:	scrobiculatum
Synonyms
Panicum frumentaceum Rottb.

Paspalum scrobiculatum, usually called Kodo millet or Koda millet, is a type of grain. It grows every year. This plant is mostly grown in Nepal. It's also found in India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and West Africa. Kodo millet actually comes from West Africa.

In most places, it's a small crop. But in the Deccan plateau of India, it's a very important food. Kodo millet is a tough plant. It can grow even when there isn't much water. It also grows well in poor soil where other crops might not survive. This grain can provide a lot of food. It's a great option for farmers in Africa and other places.

People call this plant by different names. In Telugu, it's Arikelu. In Tamil, it's Varagu. In Malayalam, it's Varak. In Kannada, it's Arka. In Hindi, it's Kodo. And in Punjabi, it's Kodra.

What is Kodo Millet?

Kodo millet is a type of grass. It grows new each year. The plant can reach about four feet tall. It has a special flower part called an inflorescence. This part makes 4 to 6 branches. These branches are about 4 to 9 centimeters long.

The leaves are thin and light green. They grow to be 20 to 40 centimeters long. Kodo millet seeds are very small. They are shaped like tiny eggs. Each seed is about 1.5 millimeters wide and 2 millimeters long. Their color can be light brown or dark gray. Kodo millet has roots that don't go very deep. This can be good for growing it with other plants.

Where Does Kodo Millet Come From?

Kodo millet comes from tropical Africa. Scientists think people started growing it in India about 3000 years ago. There are two main types. One type, Paspalum scrobiculatum var. scrobiculatum, is grown as a crop in India. The other type, Paspalum scrobiculatum var. commersonii, grows wild in Africa.

This plant is also known as cow grass or rice grass. It's a minor food crop in many Asian countries. It's very important in some parts of India. In West Africa, the wild type grows year after year. People there sometimes eat it when other food is scarce. Kodo millet often grows like a weed in rice fields. But many farmers don't mind. They can harvest it if their main crop fails. In some parts of the United States, it's seen as a harmful weed.

How to Grow Kodo Millet

Kodo millet grows from seeds. It's best to plant the seeds in rows. This is better than just scattering them everywhere. Kodo millet likes soil that is very rich and has a lot of clay. The type grown for food, var. scrobiculatum, handles dry weather better. The wild type needs more water, about 800 to 1200 millimeters each year. It grows well in places that are a bit dry but still get some rain.

This plant can grow well even in poor soil. It does best if there aren't many other plants or weeds nearby. But it grows even better if you add some general fertilizer. Farmers often add 40 kilograms of nitrogen and 20 kilograms of phosphorus per hectare. One study in India showed that using fertilizer made Kodo millet yields 72% higher.

Kodo millet needs a lot of sunlight to grow best. But it can also handle some shade. The perfect temperature for it to grow is between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius. It takes about four months for the plant to be ready for harvest.

Challenges for Kodo Millet Farmers

When Kodo millet plants are fully grown, they can sometimes fall over. This is called "lodging." It can cause farmers to lose grain. To help prevent this, farmers should not use too much fertilizer. A small amount of fertilizer helps the plants grow well without making them too tall and weak. About 14 to 22 kilograms of nitrogen is a good amount. Heavy rains can also make the plants fall over.

Farmers harvest Kodo millet by cutting the grass stalks. They let the stalks dry in the sun for a day or two. Then, they grind the stalks to remove the outer shell, called the husk. The weather can make harvesting and storing the grain difficult. Also, removing the husk is a very long process. Farmers say Kodo millet is one of the hardest grains to de-husk.

Kodo Millet's Toughness

Kodo millet is very strong. It can grow well in difficult soils. The type grown for food needs very little water. This means it can handle dry periods very well. Farmers can grow it even without an irrigation system. Adding natural fertilizers like farmyard manure helps. But Kodo millet can still grow in soil with few nutrients. The wild type of Kodo millet likes wetter conditions. It can even grow in flooded areas or swampy ground.

Pests and Diseases of Kodo Millet

Kodo millet can get a fungal disease called Paspalum ergot. This fungus grows hard lumps instead of millet grains. These lumps contain a chemical that can be harmful if eaten. It can make humans and animals sick. It affects the nervous system. Animals might become very excited and then lose control of their muscles. If caught early, animals can get better if they stop eating the infected food. Cleaning the seeds before storing them can help remove the fungus.

Here are some common insect pests that bother Kodo millet:

• Insects that eat shoots and stems:
  • shoot fly Atherigona simplex
  • Atherigona pulla, Atherigona oryzae, and Atherigona soccata
  • pink borer Sesamia inferens
• Insects that eat leaves:
  • leaf roller Cnaphalocrocis patnalis
  • caseworm Hydrellia philippina
  • armyworms Mythimna separata and Spodoptera mauritia
  • skipper butterfly Pelopidas mathias
  • thrip Stenchaetothrips biformis
  • grasshopper Acrida exaltata
• Insects that suck plant juices:
  • mealy bug Brevennia rehi
  • green leafhopper Nephotettix nigropictus
• Insects that attack the grain heads:
  • green bug Nezara viridula, Dolycoris indicus
  • earhead bug Leptocorisa acuta
  • gall midge Orseolia species

How Kodo Millet is Used

In India, Kodo millet is ground into flour. This flour is used to make a type of pudding. In Africa, people cook it like rice. It's also a good food for farm animals. Cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and chickens can all eat it.

In Hawaii, Kodo millet grows well on hillsides. Other grasses don't grow as well there. This means it could be a good food source for farms on hills. It might also be used to help hold soil on hillsides. This would stop soil from washing away. At the same time, it could provide food if other crops fail. It's also known to be a good cover crop.

Kodo Millet's Nutrition

Kodo millet is a healthy grain. It's a good choice instead of rice or wheat. The grain has about 11% protein. This means 100 grams of Kodo millet gives you 9 grams of protein. It's also an excellent source of fiber. It has 10 grams of fiber per 100 grams. This is much more than rice (0.2 grams) or wheat (1.2 grams). Eating enough fiber helps you feel full.

Kodo millet has 66.6 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. It also provides 353 calories for every 100 grams. This is similar to other millets. It has 3.6 grams of fat per 100 grams. Kodo millet has small amounts of iron (0.5 milligrams) and calcium (27 milligrams). It also has a lot of polyphenols. These are special compounds that act like antioxidants in your body.

Tips for Growing Kodo Millet

If you have fertilizer, adding small amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus can greatly increase how much Kodo millet you harvest. Before adding fertilizer, it's good to test the soil's pH level. This helps make sure the plants can use the nutrients.

Planting Kodo millet in rows makes it easier to weed. It also helps you get more grain. Kodo millet can grow in poor soil. But it needs very little competition from weeds to do well. Finally, cleaning the seeds carefully helps remove any harmful fungus. You can do this by using wind to blow away the lighter fungal parts. Kodo millet seeds can be found at the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.

Images for kids

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  A Kodo millet plant at a botanical garden.