Difference between cereals and millet
Main difference
The main difference between cereals and millet is that cereals are grown as a main crop, large-grained, grow in good soil and require a good amount of rainfall, while millet is grown as a mixed crop, small-grained, grows in good soil. on poor soils and require little rainfall.
Cereal vs. Millets
Cereals are herbs that are grown primarily for their edible seeds, while; millet is forage grass, an annual cereal that is widely grown in dry regions. Cereals are rich in carbohydrates (60-70%) and also contain fats, proteins and vitamins; on the other hand, millet contains a high percentage of minerals such as phosphorous, potassium and magnesium and also has nutrients such as fats, vitamins and proteins. Cereals are not easy to digest because they contain carbohydrates and nutrients; on the contrary, millet is easy to digest. Cereals are grown as a main crop, they have large grain and are grown on good soil; on the other hand, millets are grown as a mixed crop, they have small grain and grow on poor soil. Cereals require a good amount of rain for their growth; On the other hand, millets require little rainfall since they grow in dry regions and are resistant to drought. Cereals have a high level of economic importance, while millets are economically less important, but their growing season is short and they have high productivity. The main cereals are oats, rice, rye, barley, maize, wheat, sorghum, etc., while the main millets are proso millet, pearl millet, jowar and ragi, foxtail millet, etc.
Comparison chart
| Cereals | millets |
| Cereals are grasses that are grown primarily for their edible grain seeds and are large-seeded grains. | Millets are extremely flexible small grain grasses that are widely cultivated throughout the world as grain or cereal crops for human food. |
| Source | |
| Origin of the Greek goddess Ceres, whom the Romans worshiped as a giver of grain | Known as several species of cereals that produce small grains compared to the size of corn. |
| Nutritional value | |
| Rich in carbohydrates (60-70%) and also has fats, proteins and vitamins. | It contains a high percentage of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and also nutrients such as fats, vitamins and proteins. |
| Digestion | |
| not easy to digest | easily digestible |
| Specifications | |
| They are grown as a main crop, have large grain and are grown on good soil. | They are grown as mixed crops, have small grain size and grow on poor soils. |
| rain requirement | |
| Requires a fair amount of rain | requires little rain |
| drought resistant | |
| Not drought resistant | drought resistant |
| Economic importance | |
| High level of economic importance | less important economically |
| Types | |
| Oats, rice, rye, barley, corn, wheat, sorghum, etc. | Proso millet, pearl millet, jowar and ragi, foxtail millet, etc. |
What are cereals?
Cereals are grasses that are grown primarily for their edible grain seeds and are large-seeded grains. Cereals have their origin in the Greek goddess Ceres, whom the Romans worshiped as the giver of cereals. Cereals are rich in carbohydrates (60-70%) and are also a rich source of fats, proteins, vitamins and oils. Cereals such as rice, maize and wheat accounted for 89% of all cereal production worldwide in 2012. The cultivation of all cereals is similar, although some are annual plants. Cereals are composed of bran, endosperm and germ. Cereals are grown as a main crop, they have large grain and are grown in good soil, and they require a good amount of rain for their growth. Cereals have a high level of economic importance.
Composition
- Endosperm: starchy part of the grain and food storage tissue.
- Germ: germinates and is the reproductive part of the grain that becomes a plant.
- Bran: the outer covering of the cereal that is used as a dietary fiber.
What are millets?
Millet is forage grass, an annual cereal that is widely grown in dry regions. There is a 97% production of millet in developing countries. This crop is favored for its high productivity and short growing season in dry, high-temperature conditions. They are also drought resistant. Millets grow rapidly and can be grown 5-7 weeks after sowing when they are 20-30 cm tall. Millets contain a high percentage of minerals like phosphorous, potassium and magnesium and also have nutrients like fats, vitamins and proteins. They are grown as a mixed crop, they have small grain and grow on poor soils, they require less amount of rainfall. Millets are less important economically, but are a great food source in arid semi-arid regions.
Key differences
- Cereals are herbs that are grown primarily for their edible seeds, while; millet is forage grass, an annual cereal that is widely grown in dry regions.
- Cereals are rich in carbohydrates (60-70%) and also contain fats, proteins and vitamins; on the other hand, millet contains a high percentage of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium and also nutrients such as fats, vitamins and proteins.
- Cereals are not easy to digest because they have a large amount of carbohydrates and nutrients; on the contrary, millet is easy to digest.
- Cereals are grown as the main crop, they have large grain and are grown on good soil; On the other hand, millets are grown as a mixed crop, have small grain size and grow in poor soils.
- Cereals require a good amount of rain for their growth; In contrast, millets require little rainfall as they grow in dry regions and are resistant to drought.
- Cereals have a high level of economic importance, while millets are less important economically, but their growing season is short and they have high productivity.
- The main cereals are oats, rice, rye, barley, maize, wheat, sorghum, etc., while the main millets are proso millet, pearl millet, jowar and ragi, foxtail millet, etc.
Final Thought
The above discussion concludes that cereals are grown as a large-grained main crop, grown in good soil and require a good amount of rainfall, while millet is grown as a small-grained mixed crop, grown in poor soils and It requires little rain.