**Botanical Information:**
– Jobs tears is also known as adlay or adlay millet in English.
– The species was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.
– Four varieties of Jobs tears are accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.
– Jobs tears is a monoecious grass with broad leaves, reaching a height of 1.20-1.80 m.
– The seeds vary in color, with soft-shelled seeds being light brown.
– Jobs tears produce unique α-zein prolamins, making it nutritionally valuable.
**Cultural and Historical Significance:**
– Jobs tears is native to Southeast Asian countries and has been cultivated since ancient times.
– It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and is mentioned in ancient medical texts.
– Jobs tears have significant cultural and decorative uses in various regions of Southeast Asia.
– In insular Southeast Asia, ethnic tribes use Jobs tears beads for ornamentation.
– Jobs tears have been found in archaeological sites, dating back to 3000 BC in China.
**Culinary and Medicinal Uses:**
– Jobs tears are used in various food preparations like soups, porridge, and pastries.
– The kernels are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
– Beverages and soups like yulmu cha in Korea and yi ren jiang in China are made from Jobs tears.
– Jobs tears are rich in protein, fiber, zinc, and calcium, making them nutrient-dense.
– Jobs tears are also used in alcoholic beverages in Korea, China, and other parts of Southeast Asia.
**Cultivation and Production:**
– Jobs tears prefer sunny, fertile, well-drained fields with sandy loam soil.
– They require mild, cool, and humid climates for optimal growth.
– Jobs tears are an annual crop that takes 5-5.5 months to flower and mature.
– Cultivation management involves controlling seedlings per hole and performing tillage at specific growth stages.
– Proper N fertilizer application can significantly improve yield in Jobs tears production.
**Scientific Research and References:**
– Scientific studies have investigated the proteins and genetic divergence of Jobs tears.
– References like The Plant List and Germplasm Resources Information Network provide information on Jobs tears.
– Medicinal studies explore the use of Jobs tears in treating conditions like cancer and atopic dermatitis.
– Archaeological and historical references highlight the economic importance and cultural significance of Jobs tears.
– Botanical studies and publications delve into the benefits and economic importance of Jobs tears in various regions.
Job's tears /dʒoʊbz/ (Coix lacryma-jobi), also known as adlay or adlay millet, is a tall grain-bearing perennial tropical plant of the family Poaceae (grass family). It is native to Southeast Asia and introduced to Northern China and India in remote antiquity, and elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics. In its native environment it is grown at higher elevation areas where rice and corn do not grow well. Job's tears are also commonly sold as Chinese pearl barley, though true barley belongs to a completely different genus.
Job's tears | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Poaceae |
Subfamily: | Panicoideae |
Genus: | Coix |
Species: | C. lacryma-jobi
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Binomial name | |
Coix lacryma-jobi L.
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Synonyms | |
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There are two main varieties of the species, one wild and one cultivated. The wild variety, Coix lacryma-jobi var. lacryma-jobi, has hard-shelled pseudocarps—very hard, pearly white, oval structures used as beads for making prayer beads or rosaries, necklaces, and other objects. The cultivated variety Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen is harvested as a cereal crop, has a soft shell, and is used medicinally in parts of Asia.