WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) were important crops beginning in the Early Neolithic of China.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Peiligang Culture (9000-7000 cal. yr BP) in the Middle Yellow River region, North China, has long been considered representative of millet farming. It is still unclear, however, if broomcorn millet or foxtail millet was the first species domesticated during the Peiligang Culture.

Detailed explanation-3: -Millets were probably first cultivated in Asia more than 4, 000 years ago, and they were major grains in Europe during the Middle Ages. Today, though they are used chiefly for pasture or to produce hay in the United States and western Europe, they remain important food staples in less-developed countries worldwide.

Detailed explanation-4: -While pearl millet, sorghum, finger millet and foxtail millets come in the category of being the major millets, others such as sama, qodo, chinna etc., are considered minor millets.

Detailed explanation-5: -The origin of millet from Neolithic China has generally been accepted, but it remains unknown whether common millet (Panicum miliaceum) or foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was the first species domesticated.