Kodo millet, Creeping paspalum
Paspalum scrobiculatum
Family: Poaceae
What it is like
A millet grass. It is an annual or perennial grass. It has short rhizomes. The stems are tufted. It grows up to 1 m high. The leaves are in two rows. The leaf blade is long and flat. It is 45 cm long by 2.5 cm across. The flower stalk has 2-5 alternate spikes. These do not have stalks. Several varieties are recognised. The kind cultivated for seeds is used as an annual and has larger seeds. The grain is in a hard husk which is difficult to remove.
Grain 10.6% protein.There are about 330 Paspalum species.
Where it is found
A tropical plant. It grows throughout the tropics. Although it grows in ditches best seeds are produced from dry land. It is hardy and drought resistant. It will grow on poor gravelly soils. It grows from sea level to 2,900 m above sea level. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of up to 900 mm. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Easter Island, Ethiopia, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Reunion, Rwanda, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The seed is used after careful washing to remove a fungal infection from the grain. (Ergot) The mature grain matured for 6 months should be used as new grain is poisonous. Non toxic forms need to be selected. It is cooked and used like rice. It can be popped like corn. It is used for fermenented cakes
It is a minor grain crop in India especially on the Deccan. An annual form is cultivated as kodo millet in India. It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Seeds, cereal, caution
How it is grown
The crop matures in 4-6 months. Yields can be 250-1,000 kg per hectare. Light red grains are sweet and dark kinds are bitter.
Its other names
Local names
Allu, Arikalu, Arugu, Bastard millet, Bull Paspalum, Cumba-djuputurum, Cuntenterem, Ditch Millet, Djaba-maudo, Fareho, Faro, Fatao, Genjoran, Indian paspalum, Jaringan, Juket pingping kasir, Karaka, Kodo, Kodoa dhan, Kodoan, Kodra, Kodrava, Kodus, Mane baso, Mauu-laiki, Menya, Myet-khayan, Peupeujeuhan, Quenquessama, Scrobic, Suket kinangan, Utchi-tcho, Varagu, Ya jie cao
Synonyms
Paspalum auriculatum Presl.; Paspalum borbatum Schum.; Paspalum borbonicum Steud.; Paspalum cartilagineum Presl.; Paspalum commersonii Lamk.; Paspalum dissectum var. grande Nees; Paspalum ledermannii Mez; Paspalum orbiculare G. Forst.; Paspalum polystachyum R. Br.; Paspalum scrobiculatum var. commersonii Stapf.; Paspalum scrobiculatum var. frumentaceum Stapf.; Paspalum scrobiculatum var. polystachyum (R. Br.) Stapf;