Physico-chemical characteristics of pearl millet cultivars grown in Northern Nigeria

Thirty-one millet cultivars grown in Northern Nigeria were evaluated for physical properties and chemical composition. The physico-chemical characteristics were also correlated. There were wide variations in thousand-kernel weight (8.1-12.1 g) and volume (5.8-10.0 ml), grain hardness (30.3-68.0 N), per cent floaters (31.0-95.0%), in addition to considerable variations in protein (9.6-12.7%), fat (3.3-5.2%), crude fibre (1.2-4.4%) and tannin (0.0-2.8% catechin equivalent) contents. The grain hardness correlated positively with crude protein (r=0.687, P<0.01). Crude protein content correlated positively with grain major diameter (r=0.538, P<0.01), thickness (r=0.529, P<0.01) and correlated negatively with carbohydrate (r= -0.473, P<0.01). The density of the grain showed significant positive correlation, with grain hardness (r=0.435, P<0.01), grain thickness (r=0.568, P<0.01) and moisture content (r=0.430, P < 0.01) but negative correlated (r = -0.403, P < 0.01) with per cent floaters.