Title:Varietal Identification of Cereal Grains: Review
Volume: 20
Issue: 3
Author(s): Anagha Deore and K.A. Athmaselvi*
Affiliation:
- Center of Excellence for Grain Sciences, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurshipa and Management,
Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, Pudukkottai Road, Thanjavur - 613005, India
Keywords:
Variety, cereal, grains, genotypes, cultivar, breeding.
Abstract: Large numbers of grain varieties are exploited for different purposes and their characteristics
contribute in varied manners to the type, quality of the product. The variety of the grain is
an important factor in deciding the value of the product. Identifying these varieties and cultivars is
a crucial procedure in a food supply system. Various methods are employed to identify the variety
of grains based on morphological, biochemical, or genotypic characteristics of the grain. This note
discusses the need for identifying the variety of grains and looks upon various methods that have
been brought into action to meet the purpose. Each method of identification has its own set of
benefits and drawbacks, making it possible to choose the appropriate one for cereal grains at different
stages of the supply chain. The methods of identification described in the review present an
alternative to conventional manual methods. Rapid detection and accuracy are expected from the
identification methods. Lab-on-a-chip, web portals, and QR codes are just a few of the recent solutions
that have the ability to overcome the drawbacks and make variety identification an uncomplicated
job.