ABSTRACT
Cereals are often considered among the first cultivated crops. They are herbaceous plants belonging to the grass family Graminaceae (the only exception being buckwheat) [1]. Cereal grains such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, oat, rye, sorghum, and millet are used primarily for human consumption and animal feed. These are also used in the manufacture of beverages and industrial products (adhesives, starch). Cereal crops are energy-dense, containing 10,000–15,000 kJ/kg, about 10–20 times more energy than most succulent fruits and vegetables [2]. Nutritionally, they are important sources of dietary protein, carbohydrates, B complex of vitamins, vitamin E, iron, trace minerals, and fiber. Cereal grains contain relatively little protein compared to legume seeds, with an average of about 10–12% dry weight. These provide over 200 MT of protein for the nutrition of humans and livestock, which is about three times the amount derived from the more protein-rich (20–40%) legume seeds [3]. Global cereal consumption directly provides about 50% of protein and energy necessary for the human diet, with cereals providing an additional 25% of protein and energy via livestock intermediaries.
