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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #413541
Research Project: Advancing Technologies for Grain Trait Measurement and Storage Preservation

Location: Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research

Title: Non-destructive characterization of pearl millet composition using single-kernel NIR spectroscopy

Author
item MENDOZA, PRINCESSTIFFANY - Kansas State University
item Armstrong, Paul
item SILIVERU, KALIRAMESH - Kansas State University
item PULIVARTHI, MANOJ KUMAR - Kansas State University
item PERUMAL, RAMASAMY - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2024
Publication Date: 10/5/2024
Citation: Mendoza, P., Armstrong, P.R., Siliveru, K., Pulivarthi, M., Perumal, R. 2024. Non-destructive characterization of pearl millet composition using single-kernel NIR spectroscopy. Crop Science. 2024;1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21375.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21375

Interpretive Summary: The highly nutritional properties and health benefits of pearl millet have placed it at the forefront as an alternative crop for human and animal food. As a human food it has higher energy, lower glycemic index and a high mineral content when compared to wheat and rice and is gluten free. Methods to measure protein, moisture, fat, fiber, and ash are lacking for pearl millet but are needed by breeders and processors to assess different breeding lines that relate to end-use functionality for processing. This current work examined the use of a nondestructive, near-infrared (NIR), method to measure these chemical parameters on single pearl millet seeds. Although bulk samples are routinely screened for these nutritional parameters, single seed analysis can be more informative because it shows variation within a sample. This study developed predictive mathematical models of seed properties from the measured reflected NIR light from single seeds over many samples. While the models were not accurate in predicting the precise values for these nutritional parameters, they were useful for separating seeds that contained extreme values of protein, moisture, fat, fiber, or ash. Thus, single seed NIR could serve as a rapid screening tool for breeders and grain processors to nondestructively measure pearl millet properties.

Technical Abstract: As a gluten-free cereal with high nutritional properties, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) has been increasingly regarded as an alternative crop for food and fuel. This paper explores the potential of single-kernel near-infrared (SKNIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis for rapid and non-destructive evaluation of protein, moisture, fat, fiber, and ash contents of pearl millet seeds. Samples harvested from two consecutive years under dryland and irrigated conditions in Kansas were analyzed using SKNIR and conventional laboratory reference methods. Model calibrations were developed using partial least squares regression. Results showed satisfactory performance of models with standard errors of cross-validation of 1.04%, 0.17%, 0.39%, 0.21%, and 0.16% for predicting protein, moisture, fat, fiber, and ash, respectively. The findings suggest that SKNIR can be a tool for efficient pearl millet screening of composition, which can allow breeders and grain processors to nondestructively measure pearl millet properties and enhance their use in grain products.