Industrial interests and requirements for improvement of pearl millet, a gluten-free and climate-smart underutilized cereal

Pearl millet is a small-seeded staple crop in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia.It is the crop of choice in the hottest and driest climates where other cereals do not grow well and is considered a future climate-smart cereal.This underutilized cereal provides nutritional and food security to millions of people.It is also used as animal feed, fuel, and fodder as well as in brewing.The gluten-free grains of this cereal are rich sources of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, especially iron and zinc, and phenolics with health-promoting properties.Pearl millet also has industrial uses in the production of bioenergy, biodegradable products, bio-coagulants, and construction materials, and in tissue engineering.Pearl millet hybrids have gained considerable popularity among Indian farmers, resulting in a significant increase in production yields.However, pearl millet production in Africa is primarily dependent on traditional landraces with limited acceptance of improved open-pollinated varieties and hybrids.Consequently, no significant increase in pearl millet production has been achieved over the past few decades.Despite its inherent resilience against poor climates, this staple crop faces a complex array of abiotic and biotic stresses in its production areas, which is exacerbated by ongoing climate change.Furthermore, certain anti-nutritional traits impede its overall nutritional value and effective utilization.Hence, improving pearl millet is a continuous and significant challenge for plant breeders and biotechnologists.