Newton Fund - Development of pearl millet hybrid seeds and novel food products: An affordable resource in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

印度以非胰岛素依赖型糖尿病为主的2型糖尿病患者目前估计有6500万人，而且还在增加。珍珠小米是一种可持续的谷物，比小麦和大米具有更好的血糖控制，由于在传统食品中的使用，在印度消费者接受度很高。该项目将使用从印度种子库中识别的不寻常的珍珠小米品种，这些珍珠小米具有改善血糖控制的特性。这些将被纳入育种计划，以开发珍珠谷子品种，这些品种将在农业可持续发展和血糖控制方面进行优化，然后将开发成适合印度市场的美味和负担得起的食品。这些品系将作为直接生长和小农消费的改良粮食作物提供，也将作为生产产品的宝贵原材料，当定期消费时，将有助于防止胰岛素抵抗的发展。

The number of (type 2) mainly non-insulin dependent diabetics in India is currently estimated at 65 million and rising. Pearl millet is a sustainable cereal with superior glycaemic control over wheat and rice, with a high consumer acceptance in India due to its use in traditional foods. This project will use unusual varieties of pearl millet identified from seed banks in India that have properties associated with improved glycaemic control. These will be incorporated into breeding programmes to develop pearl millet cultivars that will be optimised for both agricultural sustainablity and glycaemic control, which will then be developed into palatable and affordable food products for the Indian market. These lines will be made available as both improved food crops for direct growth and consumption by smallholder farmers and also as a valuable raw material for products that, when consumed regularly, will help to prevent the development of insulin resistance.