Millets are indeed resilient to climate change and have some photo insensitivity, meaning they can adapt to different environmental conditions. Millets have deep root systems that help them access water from lower soil layers, making them drought-tolerant. They also have a short growing season, allowing them to complete their life cycle before extreme weather conditions occur.
In terms of water conservation and improved water productivity, millets have a few advantages. They require less water compared to other crops like rice or wheat. Millets have a higher water-use efficiency, meaning they can produce more yield with the same amount of water. Additionally, their deep root systems help them access water from deeper soil layers, reducing the need for frequent irrigation.
Overall, millets are considered water-efficient crops and can contribute to sustainable agricultural practices
Photo-insensitive and resilient to climate change, millets are hardy, resilient crops that have a low carbon and water footprint, can withstand high temperatures and grow on poor soils with little or no external inputs. Further, millets are not water or input-intensive, making them a sustainable strategy for addressing climate change and building resilient agri-food systems. Therefore millets are regarded as the climate- resilient crops. Millet is being considered as a smart crop because it is tolerant to increased temperature and droughts can be cultivated in dryland areas and it requires low water footprint. However, sorghum, an alternative crop, displays remarkable resilience to these temperature changes, offering hope for a sustainable future. Moreover, these crops' water requirements and footprints are crucial to their adaptability to climate change. One of the primary reasons why millets are considered a climate resilient crop is their ability to withstand drought. Millets have a deep root system that allows them to access moisture from deeper soil layers, making them less dependent on external irrigation.Millets are not water- or input-intensive and are suitable for “climate smart agriculture” as the world would increasingly be facing the challenges of drought and its adverse impacts on agricultural crop yields.Millets can withstand extreme temperatures, droughts, and floods. Millets grow well in arid zones/rain-fed locations with marginal soil fertility and moisture. Because of its effective root system, millets require far less water than other cereal crops for their production. Millets are drought-resistant, require less water and can grow in poor soil conditions. This makes them a suitable food crop for areas with unpredictable weather patterns and water scarcity. Millets being rain fed crops, do not require standing water in their fields, so no need for big dams, forests going under reservoirs and elaborate canal systems to get water to the farms. Millets do not need any fertility enhancement or pesticides to grow well and yield a good harvest. The water absorption capacity of millet flours ranged from 74.08 to 76.83 ml/100g and the data projected for water absorption revealed that the water absorption capacity were maximum in wheat flour (78.80 ml/100g) when compared to millet flour and minimum in soybean flour (58.17 ml/100g). Millets can withstand extreme temperatures, droughts, and floods. Millets grow well in arid zones/rain-fed locations with marginal soil fertility and moisture. Because of its effective root system, millets require far less water than other cereal crops for their production.