“Microgreens contain up to 40 times more nutrients than their mature counterparts and are rich in vitamins C, E, and K, beta-carotene, and polyphenols. In today’s fast paced, health has become a major concern, and with the declining intake of green vegetables, microgreens offer a nutritious and compact alternative, creating a new wave in the healthy food market,” said Prof. R. Umarani, Director, Seed Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) recently.

She said this at the special training program on Microgreens conducted by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University’s Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology. Titled ‘Microgreens: A Super Food and Business Ideas’, this event saw145 participants, including entrepreneurs, students and youth taking part in the training.

Prof. R. Umarani, Director, Seed Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, explained that microgreens are young edible greens harvested just after the seed has sprouted and the first set of true leaves has developed. These include both the stem and seed leaves, which are entirely edible.

During the training session, S. K. Babu, Project Director of Eco Green Unit, stated that microgreens, being low-investment crops that can be harvested in a short period, offer an excellent source of greenery with minimal land and water requirements.

He emphasized that these qualities make microgreens ideal for women-led self-employment and also open up new market opportunities for green entrepreneurs, students, youth and startup ventures.

Earlier, E. Kokiladevi, Head of Department of Plant Biotechnology delivered the welcome address and at the end of the event, V. Rajan Babu, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University rendered the formal Note of Gratitude.