Paspalum scrobiculatum

Paspalum scrobiculatum, commonly called kodo millet or koda millet, is an annual grain that is grown primarily in Nepal (not to be confused with ragi (finger millet, Eleusine coracana)) and also in India, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and in West Africa from where it originated. It is grown as a minor crop in most of these areas, with the exception of the Deccan plateau in India where it is grown as a major food source. It is a very hardy crop that is drought tolerant and can survive on marginal soils where other crops may not survive, and can supply 450–900 kg of grain per hectare. Kodo millet has large potential to provide nourishing food to subsistence farmers in Africa and elsewhere. The plant is called kodrava in Sanskrit, Arikelu in the Telugu language, Varagu in Tamil, Varak (വരക്) in Malayalam, Arka in Kannada, Kodo in Hindi and Kodra in Punjabi.

Description

A millet grass. It is an annual or perennial grass. It has short rhizomes. The stems are tufted. It grows up to 1 m high. The leaves are in two rows. The leaf blade is long and flat. It is 45 cm long by 2.5 cm across. The flower stalk has 2-5 alternate spikes. These do not have stalks. Several varieties are recognised. The kind cultivated for seeds is used as an annual and has larger seeds. The grain is in a hard husk which is difficult to remove.

Edible Uses

In India, kodo millet is ground into flour and used to make pudding. In Africa it is cooked like rice. It is also a good choice for animal fodder for cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, and poultry. In Hawaii, var. scrobiculatum is found to grow well on hillside slopes where other grasses do not flourish. It has the potential to be grown as a food source on hillside farms. It may also have potential to be used as grass ties on hillside plots to prevent soil erosion, while also providing a famine food as a secondary purpose. It has been noted that it makes a good cover crop.

Traditional Uses

The seed is used after careful washing to remove a fungal infection from the grain. (Ergot) The mature grain matured for 6 months should be used as new grain is poisonous. Non toxic forms need to be selected. It is cooked and used like rice. It can be popped like corn. It is used for fermenented cakes,

Known Hazards

There is one report that, unless special precautions are taken the seed is apt to act as a narcotic poison, producing delirium and vomiting. This report is very likely to be a misidentification or a confusion with fungal infection of the seed with ergot, since the plant is commonly used as a food and is reported in many other sources[, , , 418 et al] as being wholesome.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows throughout the tropics. Although it grows in ditches best seeds are produced from dry land. It is hardy and drought resistant. It will grow on poor gravelly soils. It grows from sea level to 2,900 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of up to 900 mm. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Easter Island, Ethiopia, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, Reunion, Rwanda, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

A plant of low to fairly high elevations in the tropics and subtropics, being found from sea level to 3,000 metres. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature ranges from 25 - 27°c, also succeeding in the range 5 - 33°c. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,600mm, but can tolerate 800 - 4,300mm. Tolerates a wide range of soils, from fertile clay loams to sandy loams, but prefers a light, moderately fertile, porous soil in full sun. Plants can succeed in wet soils and are tolerant of flooding. Prefers a pH in the range 4.8 - 6, but can tolerate 4.3 - 8. Plants spread readily by means of self-sown seedlings and can become a weed in agricultural land. When grown as a grain crop, the seed can be harvested after 120 - 180 days. The seed ripens over a period of three to four months, the seeds fall as they mature, which makes seed harvesting difficult.

Propagation

Seed - it germinates best at a temperature of 20-35°c. Sow in situ on a well-prepared, very fine seedbed, only just covering the seed. The seed only remains viable for 12 months.

Production

The crop matures in 4-6 months. Yields can be 250-1,000 kg per hectare. Light red grains are sweet and dark kinds are bitter.

Other Information

It is a minor grain crop in India especially on the Deccan. An annual form is cultivated as kodo millet in India. It is cultivated.

Notes

Grain 10.6% protein.There are about 330 Paspalum species.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Allu, Arikalu, Arugu, Bastard millet, Bull Paspalum, Cumba-djuputurum, Cuntenterem, Ditch Millet, Djaba-maudo, Fareho, Faro, Fatao, Genjoran, Indian paspalum, Jaringan, Juket pingping kasir, Karaka, Kodo, Kodoa dhan, Kodoan, Kodra, Kodrava, Kodus, Mane baso, Mauu-laiki, Menya, Myet-khayan, Peupeujeuhan, Quenquessama, Scrobic, Suket kinangan, Utchi-tcho, Varagu, Ya jie cao

References (49)

• Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 26
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 433
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 18
• Aiyer, A. K. Y. N., 1958, Field Crops of India. Bangalore Printing and Publishing Company. p
• Borrell, O.W., 1989, An Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Kairiru Island, New Guinea. Marcellin College, Victoria Australia. p 24

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