Traditional knowledge of cultivated cereals for their food security in irular tribe of Palamalai hills, a part of Western Ghats of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

In the present study to describe the hilly region cultivate cereals of Thinai, Cholam, Kambu, Samai and ragi were used as daily foods. The study area, cereals are the major crop cultivated edible grains for their food security. Moreover having nutritional and medicinal benefits, the by-products of cereals are equally important and beneficial for health. By products from growing cereals stacks are used as house roof, cattle feeds and worthwhile products. The inedible parts that are discarded through the milling process and the edible part could be transformed into some of the following suggested products. The tribal people living in the hills tops of the study area were cultivated 11 major agricultural crops. They are Eleusine coracana, Panicum sumatrense, Sorghum bicolor, Setaria italica and Pennisetum glaucum. Among them, Eleusine coracana gives the maximum yield with 100–200 kg/acre for major food cereals and conservation of genetic resources.