Variable Pathogens of Millets

'Millets' are a group of small-seeded cereal and forage grasses that are used for f&, feed, and forage, They provide staple food for millions of people in arid and semi-arid tropical areas of the world, arrd some are also important in temperate wnes, T h e y are cultivated rnostl y in Asia, Africa, parts of Europe, and to a l i d t e d extent in the western hernisphere (primarily as forage), Grain from these crops is generally superior nutritionally to rice and wheat and has good storage qualities, Millets often provide the only cereal option for the rnarginal areas where they are g r o w - They are frequently short-term, warrn season (surnrner) crops, and individual species or varieties frequently possess some unusual characters for adaptation, e . g - tolerance to or escape from drought, high temperature, low soil fertility, and diseases or pests, or use, e - g - special foods or beverages- Common arrd scientific names of species generally considered to belong t o millets are given in Table 1