PROTEIN, CALCIUM, IRON, AND AMINO-ACID CONTENT OF SELECTED WILD AND DOMESTICATED CULTIVARS OF FINGER MILLET

Two wild and eight domesticated cultivars of finger millet were analyzed to determine their proximate composition and calcium, iron, and amino acid content. Wide variations were observed in the protein (mean values ranged from 7.5 to 11.7%), calcium (376 to 515 mg/100 g), and iron (3.7 to 6.8 mg/100 g) content of the wild and domesticated cultivars. A wild progenitor of finger millet, E coracana subsp. africana was significantly higher in protein than four of the six domesticated accessions analyzed. The calcium and iron content of the wild progenitor was also significantly greater than that of two domesticated cultivars. The wild species was also found to be higher in lysine and five other essential amino acids. These results indicate that the nutritional value of finger millet may be significantly improved by selective crossbreeding of the cereal's wild and domesticated cultivars.