Strategies on Underutilized Crops for Food
and Nutritional Security: Pseudocereals
Kuldeep Singh, FNAAS
Director
ICAR- National Bureau of Plant Genetic
Resources, New Delhi
Regional Expert Consultation on Underutilized crops for Food
and Nutrition Security in Asia and Pacific
November 13-15, 2017, Bangkok

Neglected and underused crops are domesticated plant
species that have been used for centuries for their food,
fibre, fodder, oil or medicinal properties, but have been
reduced in importance over time owing to particular supply
and use constraints.
Crop group No. of species
Cereal and Pseudo cereals 13
Fruit and nut species 33
Vegetable & Pulse crops 33
Root and tuber crops 17
Oil seed crops 16
Globally >100 species have been grouped as underutilized Crops (UU
Crops).

 All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on UU & UE
Plants was initiated in 1982 and is now functioning as AICRN
on Potential Crops under the umbrella of ICAR, New Delhi.
 The main objective is to generate improved technologies in
selected crops of the minor economic importance for food,
fodder and industrial use.
 The NBPGR, New Delhi is coordinating and conducting research
on 17 crops of food, fodder and industrial value through 14
main, 9 cooperating and 15 voluntary centers located in diverse
agro-climatic zones of India.
Research Network of UU Crops in India

The list of selected 17 crops under the Network
 Pseudocreals: Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.), Buckwheat
(Fagopyrum sp.), Grain Chenopods (Chenopodium sp.)
 Minor Cereal: Job’s Tear (Coix lacryma – jobi L.)
 Food Legumes: Rice Bean (Vigna umbellate (Thunb.) Ohwi
and Ohashi), Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.), Adzuki Bean (Vigna
angularis (Wild.) Ohwi & Ohashi), Winged Bean
(Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.
 Vegetables: Kankoda (Momordica dioica (Roxb.) Ex. Wild),
Kalingada [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)]
 Oil Seed Crops: Perilla (Perilla frutescens L.), Simarouba
(Simarouba glauca DC), Tumba [Citruillus colocynthis (L.)
Schrad, Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), Ojoba (Simmondsia
chinensis)

Partners in Delivery of Outputs
Main Centres Cooperating Centres Voluntary Centres
1. CSK HPKV, Palampur 1. NBPGR, New Delhi 1. VPKAS, Almora
2.UUHF, Ranichauri 2. NBPGR RS, Bhowali 2. CSK HPKV, Sangla
2. PAU, Ludhiana 3. NBPGR RS, Jodhpur 3. CAZRI, Jaisalmer
4. CCS HAU, Hisar 4. NBPGR RS, Akola 4. ICAR, NEH, Shillong
5. SK RAU, Mandor 5. NBPGR RS, Shillong 5. ICAR, NEH, Basar,
6. NDUA&T, Faizabad 6. NBPGR RS, Shimla 6. ICAR, NEH, Lamphelpat
7. BAU, Ranchi 7. NBPGR RS, Hyderabad 7.ICAR, NEH, Kolasib
8. SDAU, S.K. Nagar 8. NBPGR RS, Ranchi 8. ICAR, NEH, Medziphema
9. MPKV, Rahuri 9. NBPGR RS, Thrissur 9. ICAR, NEH, Tadong
10. IGKV, Ambikapur 10. ICAR, NEH, Lembucherra
11. OUA&T, Bhubaneswar 11. CIPHET, Ludhiana
12. UAS, Bangalore 12. IARI, New Delhi
13. TNAU, Mettupalayam 13. PU, Chandigarh
14. UBKV, Cooch Behar 14. CIARI, Port Blair
15. CAU Pasighat

Pseudo
cereals
Grain
Amaranth Buckwheat
Grain
Chenopods
5822
accessions
1000
accessions
197
accessions

Important Traits Associated with Pseudocereals
 Wider adaptability
 Higher nutritional value
 Medicinal value
 Resilient in nature
 Tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses

Nutritional status of pseudocereals (per 100g)
Pseudocereals Protei
n (g)
Carbohy-
drates (g)
Lipid
(g)
Crude
fibre
(g)
Mineral
matter
(g)
Ca
(mg)
P
(mg)
Fe
(mg)
Amaranth 16.0 62.0 8.0 2.43 3.0 490 600 17.5
Buckwheat 13.0 72.9 7.4 10.5 2.1 120 280 15.5
Chenopodium 14.0 65.0 7.0 - 3.0 - - -
Wheat 12.0 69.0 1.7 1.2 2.7 41 306 5.3
Rice 6.7 68.0 0.3 0.2 0.3 45 160 3.5

Essential amino acid composition (g/100g protein) in
minor crops vs cereals and milk
Food grain Lysine Methionine Cystine Isoleucine Leucine
Amaranth 5.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 4.7
Buckwheat 6.2 1.6 1.6 3.7 6.2
Wheat 2.8 1.5 2.2 3.3 6.7
Rice 3.8 2.3 1.4 3.8 3.2
Milk 5.8 3.7 2.1 5.0 7.3

Amaranth
 Grains used for breads, biscuits, flakes,
cake, pastry, crackers, ice cream and
lysine rich baby foods.
 Excellent source of iron and β-carotene.
Rich in folic acid and thus increases blood
hemoglobin. Lysine in seed proteins as
much as in milk (5%), higher than cereals.
 Amaranth oil containing squalene, a
cosmetic ingredient and skin penetrant is
also used as lubricant for computer discs
 Disease treatment – measles, snake bite,
FMD of animal, kidney stone, chest
congestion, piles
 AMA-1 gene has been isolated and
introduced in rice and potato due to high
quality protein

Diversity in Grain Amaranth

IC20306 & IC07920 has Long Inflorescence

Trait Range Mean+SE Promising accessions
Days to flowering 58-116 90.76+0.59 IC382253, IC382748, IC381185
Plant height (cm) 100.5-330.5 248.18+1.72 IC363742, IC415220, IC415236
Infl. length (cm) 29.3-197.4 75.58+0.73 IC398233, IC415222, IC415224
Days to maturity 124-175 156.52+0.36 IC328903, EC519556, IC260313
1000-seed wt. (g) 0.30-0.95 0.69+0.01 IC321282, IC363767, IC363768
Seed yield/plant (g) 10.00-186.39 49.24+1.09 IC362199, IC313250, IC313270
Accessions superior for multiple traits
Accessions Traits
IC333211, IC341505,
IC321281, IC329550
Plant height, Infl. length,
Seed yield/plant
Range of variation for agro-morphological traits in grain
amaranth germplasm at Shimla center of NBPGR

Varieties and Cropping Systems Developed
 Six varieties for hills (Annapurna, Durga, VL Chua 44, PRA-1,
PRA-2, PRA-3) and six varieties for plains (GA-1, Suvarna, GA-2,
BGA-2, GA-3, RMA-4) have been released for grain purpose
 The crop can be grown as a pure crop as well as inter crop.
 In hills the crop can be suitably grown as a mixed crop with
either maize, small millets, French bean or other beans. The
best economic yields can be obtained when amaranth and
French bean are grown in 1: 2 ratio.
 In Western India as a pure crop, the B: C ratio has been
recorded to be higher than wheat, potato and chickpea at
farmers’ fields
 In Tamil NAdu, and Odhissa, inter cropping with pigeonpea has
been found to be most profitable.

Benefit-cost ( B: C) ratio of cultivating wheat, gram and
amaranth at farmers’ fields in Gujrat
Farmer Wheat Gram Amaranth
1 1.87 1.83 2.35
2 1.80 1.77 1.97
3 1.73 1.37 2.17
4 1.81 1.73 2.49
5 1.79 1.70 2.69

Varietal Evaluation and Selection in Grain Amaranth at Bangalore centre

SUVARN’
KBGA-1
Varieties released in Grain Amaranth

Popularisation of amaranth in non-conventional
area in Tamil Nadu

Cropping System of Tribals
Millet with pulses Local Grain Amaranth variety in
millets – mixed cropping
Grain Amaranth HYV in millets Grain Amaranth and Maize

Value added products from Grain Amaranth
Popped grain Grain Laddus Chapathi
Chikkies Biscuits Snacks

Post Harvest Operations in Grain Amaranth
Threshing Winnowing
Drying Final Grain

What is needed?
• Awareness programs to convince the nutritional
benefits of Grain Amaranth.
• Extension activities to popularize the growing and use
of the grain
• Explore the Market Potential for Value added products
of Grain Amaranth
• Make the crop more profitable comparing to other
existing crops

Buckwheat
 The plant has a medicinal value also due to presence of a
glucoside called ‘rutin’ which strengthens blood vessels
and is used in the treatment of several other diseases also.
 Excellent source of lysine
Buckwheat ( also known as Ogla, Phaphra, Bharesha)

Diversity in Buckwheat

Character Range Mean+SE Promising accessions
Plant height (cm) 36 - 195 95.73+1.65 RSR/SKS-41, EC286379, EC18225
No of Infl./Plant 4 - 36 13.52+0.29 IC321798, IC294344, IC026596
Days to maturity 74 - 149 127.97+0.76 JCR-2134, IC321798, IC013531
No of Seed/Infl. 2 - 9 4.21+0.07 EC321798, IC013140, IC204020
Seed yield/plant
(g)
0.2 - 3.3 1.15+0.04 EC018225, EC321798, EC286379
Accessions superior for multiple traits
Accessions Traits
EC286379, EC329178,
IC026596
No of infl./plant, days to
maturity, seed yield/plant
and plant height
Range of variation for agro-morphological traits in buckwheat germplasm
maintained at NBPGR

Buck wheat

Mean grain yield (q/ha)of buckwheat varieties in North –Western hills
S. No. Variety Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
Weighted
Mean Rank
Fagopyrum tataricum
1 Himgiri 14.65 7.67 10.06 9.53 10.67 I
2 Himpriya 12.69 8.20 7.99 10.26 9.89 II
Fagopyrum esculentum
3 PRB-1 9.90 5.32 6.83 7.54 7.54
III
4 VL 7 5.85 8.67 5.09 4.99 5.98
IV

Varieties developed by AICRN – Potential Crops
Himpriya
HimgiriBUCKWHEAT

Chenopods
 Chenopodium contains etherel
oil, a substance resembling
cholesterol, ammonia and
amines in both free and
combined forms.
 The grain chenopod is more
nutritive than the cereals and is
equivalent to whole dried milk.
 Chenopods contain
exceptionally high lysine
comparable with animal food
sources and have higher
amount of methionine and
cystine.

Distinct morphological traits - a, b, c different inflorescence colors, d - plant height; e -
seed colors, f - leaf length and width, g - inflorescence length and h - Stem diameter
Diversity in Chenopodium quinoa

Character Range Mean+SE Promising accessions
Infl. length (cm) 29.05-62.66 45.35+0.86 IC108819, IC109731, EC359449,
Leaf length (cm) 4.10-17.20 13.08+0.31 EC359449, IC258332, EC349447
Leaf width (cm) 2.20-18.10 11.05+0.50 EC359449, EC349447, EC359448
Days to 80% maturity 101-155 128.11+2.21 IC415477, IC381078, NIC22488
1000-seed wt. (g) 0.40-1.30 0.69+0.03 IC415477, IC415402, IC415494,
Seed yield/plant (g) 2.58-100.12 22.95+2.58 IC415477, NIC-15022, NIC-22492
Accessions superior for multiple traits
Accessions Traits
IC108817, IC108819,
IC415477, IC341703
Days to 80% maturity, Seed
yield/plant, Seed weight &
Plant height
Range of variation for agro-morphological traits in Chenopods germplasm
maintained at the station

Chenopodium quinoa

Germplasm Registration
Easy dehulling type buckwheat
(INGR No. 04034)
Tartary buckwheat has a tightly adhering hull that
makes it difficult to dehull and contains a bitter
component that affects its palatability. The hull
can be removed to get white kernel just by
rubbing the seeds with hand, thus an useful
breeding material to diversify the uses of tartary
buckwheat.
Brown seeded chenopod
(INGR 04093)
An accession 'IC258253' registered had been
collected from Pangi (HP) and found to have brown
to whitish seed colour. Its high seed yield at par
with other high yielding varieties of black seeded
chenopods, lower plant height and early maturity
are added the advantages of this genetic stock.

UU Crops and traits need research attention
Crops Traits to be improved
Grain
amaranth
Lodging, seed size, seed shattering,
insect resistance (Spoladea recurvalis –
Amranths catterpillar)
Buckwheat Lodging, difficult to de hull, asynchronous
maturity, self incompatibility, seed size,
colour, shattering, bitterness, phenols
Chenopods Seed size, colour, & shattering, lodging,
saponin content,
Over all, yield increase is the primary objectives for all these crops

Thanks
Acknowledgements
Mohar Singh
JC Rana
BS Phogat
Hanuman Lal Haiger
Ashok Kumar
Niranjan Murty