Echinochloa Frumentacea Research Articles

Virulence perspective genomic research unlocks the secrets of Rhizoctonia solani associated with banded sheath blight in Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea).

Banded sheath blight (Bsb) disease, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is an emerging problem in barnyard millet cultivation. One of the significant goals of pathogenomic research is to identify genes responsible for pathogenicity in the fungus. A virulence profiling-based approach was employed and six R. solani isolates were collected from various ecological zones of India. The morphological parameters and virulence of all of the six R. solani isolates were investigated. The most virulent strain was designated as RAP2 and its genome has been sequenced, assembled, and annotated. The RAP2 genome is 43.63 megabases in size and comprises 10.95% repetitive DNA, within which 46% are retroelements, 8% are DNA transposons, and 46% are unidentified DNA. The Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of RAP2 proteins revealed that "phosphorylation", "membrane", and "ATP binding" have the highest gene enrichment in the "biological process", "cellular component" and "molecular function" domains, respectively. The genome comprises a majority of secretory proteins in the pectin lyase fold/virulence factor superfamily, which break down plant cell wall polymers to extract saccharides. The RAP2 genome is comparable to R. solani, which infects maize and rice, but it diverges further from soybean in terms of nucleotide-level genetic similarity. Orthologous clustering of RAP2 protein sequences with R. solani infecting maize, rice, and soybean yields 5606 proteins shared across all genomes. GO analysis of 25 proteins specific to the RAP2 genome found enrichment in the ethylene response, which can cause spore germination and infection in host plants. Interestingly, a 28-bp deletion in the RAP2 strain's cutinase domain was discovered in the cutinase protein, which might be important in the infection process, perhaps rendering the enzyme inactive or allowing the pathogen to infect barnyard millet while avoiding host defense. This study sheds light on the genetic makeup of R. solani, allowing researchers to discover critical genes related with pathogenicity as well as potential targets for fungicide development.

Integrated nutrient management and seed priming on seed quality in barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea L.)

Integrated nutrient management and seed priming on seed quality in barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea L.)

Effect of Different Processing Methods on Glycemic Index(GI) of Value Based Products Added Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Link.)

Effect of Different Processing Methods on Glycemic Index(GI) of Value Based Products Added Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Link.)

Effect of halo priming on germination and growth parameters of finger millet, little millet, and barnyard millet under osmotic stress

Seed priming has gained attention as a sustainable approach to improve crop performance. Halopriming, in particular, has shown promise in enhancing germination, growth, and stress tolerance. This study aimed to assess the effect of halopriming on the growth of finger millet (Eleusine coracana) variety CO(Ra) 15, little millet (Panicum sumatrense) variety ATL 1, and barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) variety CO(KV) 2 in osmotic conditions. The experiment used different salt solutions with 0, 1, and 1.8 g/L NaCl concentrations. In Hp1 (halo priming 1) finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15, 100% seed germination was observed in normal conditions. In Hp2, the little millet variety ATL 1 has shown 100% seed germination under osmotic stress with a concentration of 1 g/L NaCl (S1). In Hp1, barnyard millet variety CO(KV)2 showed 100% seed germination under osmotic stress with a concentration of 1.8 g/L NaCl (S2). Various growth parameters were recorded, and results showed that the barnyard millet variety Co (KV)2 and the little millet variety ATL 1, both under the Hp1 category, demonstrated the longest shoot lengths of 7.3 cm and 5.85 cm respectively under salt stress (S1). Furthermore, In Hp 1 finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15 recorded the highest root length of 12.25 under salt stress (S2). Vigour Index showed that Hp1 showed positive results regarding the germination percentage and seedling growth of finger millet variety CO(Ra) 15 and little millet variety ATL 1. This study suggested halopriming is an effective technique for promoting sustainable agriculture, especially in areas affected by salinity stress.

A comprehensive analysis on nutritional composition, functional properties, antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory potential of selected minor millet grains

Minor millets regarded as storehouse of proteins, dietary fibres, minerals, vitamins, fatty acids and phytochemicals have nutrigenomic role in human health. Determination of such components is an essential approach to choose highly efficient millet grains. Hence, this study has estimated and compared the mineral composition, proximates, functional properties, phytochemical and in vitro pharmacological properties of the seed grains of Setaria italica (Foxtail millet), Echinochloa frumentacea (Barnyard millet), Paspalum scrobiculatum (Kodo millet), and Panicum sumatrense (Little millet) cultivated in Kolli hills of Tamil Nadu, India. Mineral analysis revealed the presence of calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Occurrence of high content of protein, carbohydrate and vitamin E were also ascertained. The proximate composition (moisture, ash, crude lipid, and crude fibre) and functional features (water and oil absorbing capacity, bulk density, foaming and emulsifying property) of these millet flours have demonstrated their potential in food product formulation, particularly weaning foods. Total phenolic content was ranged between 53.28±0.71 and 110.42 ± 1.42 mg GAE g−1 of dried extract; and total flavonoid content was in the range of 23.80±1.09 to 65.1 ± 1.23 mg QE g−1 of dried extract in the studied millets. Significant free radical scavenging and enzyme inhibition activity was observed in P. sumatrense (IC50 of 128.92±1.18 µg mL−1 in DPPH assay), E. frumentacea (IC50 of 120.89±1.46 µg mL−1 in ABTS assay and 126.52±0.78 µg mL−1 in tyrosinase inhibition assay), S. italica (IC50 of 119.94±1.40 µg mL−1 in SO radical scavenging assay) and P. scrobiculatum (IC50 of 101.59±1.27 µg mL−1 in α-amylase enzyme inhibition assay and 94.63±0.78 µg mL−1 in α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition assay). The findings highlight the nutraceutical ability of these minor millets which can be employed as a valuable ingredient in food product preparation.

Impact of Cross‐Linking on the Physicochemical and Physiological Characteristics of Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) Grains Starch

Barnyard millet starch (Echinochloa frumentacea) has been investigated for its potential in drug delivery systems due to its unique properties. This study examined the physicochemical and physiological properties of cross‐linked barnyard millet starch (BMS) using varying concentrations of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). Physicochemical and physiological properties of the cross‐linked starches are analyzed. Cross‐linking resulted in reduced swelling capacity and solubility of starch samples. Morphological analysis revealed rough surfaces with cavities and minute cracks in cross‐linked starches. Acute and sub‐acute toxicity studies in test animals indicated no adverse effects, with LD50 values within acceptable limits at 2000 mg kg−1. Hematological, biochemical, and lipid profiles showed no significant alterations compared to the control group. The study demonstrated a low acute toxicity level and favorable safety profile for STPP‐cross‐linked starch. These findings highlighted the potential of cross‐linked barnyard millet starch as a carrier in drug delivery system and for food applications. This study supports the potential of cross‐linked barnyard millet starch in pharmaceutical formulations.

Transcriptome profiling of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea L.) during grain development to reveal the genomic insights into iron accumulation

In the realm of food nutritional security, the development of mineral-rich grains assumes a pivotal role in combating malnutrition. Within the scope of the current investigation, we endeavoured to discern the transcripts accountable for the improved accumulation of grain-Fe within Indian barnyard millet. This pursuit entailed transcriptome sequencing of genotypes BAR-1433 (with high Fe content) and BAR-1423 (with low Fe content) during two distinct stages of spike development—spike emergence and milking stage. In the context of spike emergence, we identified a cohort of 895 up-regulated transcripts and 126 down-regulated transcripts that delineated the difference between the high and low grain-Fe genotypes. In contrast, during the milking stage, the tally of up-regulated transcripts reached 436, while down-regulated transcripts numbered 285. The transcripts that consistently ascended in both developmental stages underwent functional annotation, aligning their roles with nucleolar proteins, metal-nicotianamine transporters, ribonucleoprotein complexes, vinorine synthases, cellulose synthases, auxin response factors, embryogenesis abundant proteins, cytochrome c oxidases, and zinc finger BED domain-containing proteins. Meanwhile, a heterogeneous spectrum of transcripts exhibited differential expression and upregulation throughout the distinct stages. These transcripts encompassed various facets, such as ABC Transporter family proteins, Calcium-dependent kinase family, Ferritin, Metal ion binding, Iron-sulfur cluster binding, Cytochrome family, Zinc finger transcription factor family, Ferredoxin–NADP reductase type 1 family, Putative laccase, Multicopper oxidase family, and Terpene synthase family. To authenticate the reliability of these transcripts, six contigs representing probable functions, including metal transporters, iron sulfur coordination, metal ion binding, auxin-responsive GH3-like protein 2, and cytochrome P450 71B16, were harnessed for primer design. Subsequently, these primers were utilized in the validation process through qRT-PCR, with the outcomes aligning harmoniously with the transcriptome results. This study chronicles a constellation of genes linked to elevated iron content within barnyard millet, showcasing a proof of concept for leveraging transcriptome insights in marker-assisted selection to fortify barnyard millet with iron. This marks the inaugural comprehensive transcriptome analysis delineating transcripts associated with varying levels of grain-iron content during the panicle developmental stages within the barnyard millet paradigm.

Transformations in Properties of Indian Barnyard Millet Starch as Induced by Ultra‐Sonication and Gamma Irradiation

AbstractThis study aims to assess the effect of physical modification techniques on the properties of millet starch. The starch isolated from barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) is subjected to ultrasonication (20 kHz; 30 and 60 min) and gamma irradiation (5 and 10 kGy). The protein content decreases slightly (by 2.5–3.8%) with gamma irradiation and significantly (by 5.7–6.9%) with ultrasonication. As compared to the native starch (20.56%), the amylose content of ultrasonicated starch is significantly higher (21.42% and 21.88%), while it is significantly lower (19.73% and 19.18%) for gamma‐irradiated starch. The swelling power of the native starch (13.57%) increases significantly with ultrasonication (14.21% and 14.33%) treatment; while it decreases significantly with gamma irradiation (13.17% and 12.25%) treatment. The solubility increases to 11.23%, 11.19%, 12.09%, and 13.31% from 10.45%, with both modifications. The peak viscosity of modified starches decreases significantly (2872 and 2700 cP) as compared to the native starch (3832 cP). The starches exhibit a greater value for storage modulus (G′) as compared to loss modulus (G″), reflecting their elastic nature. These transformations in the microstructure, gelatinization, and physicochemical properties of native starch can further be explored for food and textile industrial applications.

Molecular Diversity Analysis Among Indian Barnyard Millet [Echinochloa frumentacea (L)] Genotypes Using RAPD Markers

Forty eight Echinochloa frumentacea genotypes were subjected to amplification with 40 RAPD primers. Initially a total of 65 RAPD primers were screened for amplification out of them 40 decamer primers amplified 182 RAPD marker loci. Out of 182 alleles, 170 (93.40%) were found to be polymorphic and remaining 12 were monomorphic. On average, 4.55 alleles per primer and 4.25 polymorphic alleles per primer were obtained. Specific alleles were amplified by the primers OPN-3, OPN-7 and OPN-13 separating concerned genotype or accession from the remaining. Two clusters of genotypes were formed during cluster analysis. First cluster contained 47 genotypes that were divided into two subgroups, the first subgroup ‘A’ contained four genotypes and subgroup ‘B’ of 43 genotypes. Subgroup B was further classified into Subgroup C contained one genotype and Subgroup D contained 42 genotypes. Minor group (Group 1) contained only one genotype PCGB 27. According to Jaccard’s similarity coefficient, highest similarity was between PCGB 39 and PCGB 40 (93.3%). The highest genetic diversity was observed between PCGB 3 and PCGB 45 (45.5%). These genotypes may be used as diverse parents for future breeding programmes for Barnyard millet improvement.

PRODUCTIVITY OF FORAGE CROPS IN THE STEPPE ZONE OF THE NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN

The article presents the results of a comparative evaluation of unconventional annual forage crops based on their productivity in the steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan. The subjects of the study were varieties and hybrids of Sorghum-sudan grass hybrids, Zea mays, Echinochloa frumentacea and Pennisétum gláucum. The relevance of the topic lies in the selection and introduction of new, more productive and drought-resistant forage crops for the steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan. The objectives of the study are to examine the features of growing forage crops in the steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan; conduct a comparative assessment of the productivity of forage crops; and identify the most promising forage crops for cultivation in the steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan. The scientific significance of the paper lies in obtaining new data on the comparative productivity of various forage crops in the conditions of the steppe zone of the Northern Kazakhstan. The study used the following research methods: the experimental method by B.A. Dospekhov, the vegetation accounting method by D. Braun, and the soil moisture determination method by N.M. Bakayev; laboratory analyses; and mathematical processing of yield data. The study results showed that the sorghum-sudan grass hybrid had the highest yield: 209.1 c/ha of green mass and 32.6 c/ha of dry matter. Corn and the sorghum-sudan grass hybrid showed a balanced content of crude protein and crude fiber in the forage. The yield of Echinochloa frumentacea and Pennisétum gláucum is lower but still sufficiently high compared to corn and the sorghum-sudan grass hybrid.

Curvularia lunata causing leaf blight barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) link in India and its management by botanicals

Curvularia lunata causing leaf blight barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) link in India and its management by botanicals

Correlation and cluster analysis in phenotypic diversity studies of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Roxb. L.)

Correlation and cluster analysis in phenotypic diversity studies of barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea Roxb. L.)

Biochemical Analysis and DNA Barcoding of Millet Echinochloa frumentacea

Background: Millets are small grains that are rich in nutrients. In recent times, millet-based foods have been increasingly recommended for a healthy diet. Many millets are not annotated or DNA barcoded yet. Methods: In this study, comparative biochemical analyses especially that of starch and total protein of Echinochloa frumentacea, called as Indian barnyard white millet (Varai), from geographically different locations like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have been done. Their DNA barcoding has also been done to identify them on the basis of molecular data. Result: It was observed that starch granules were more abundant in Tamil Nadu variety as compared to Maharashtra variety. Blue value, indicative of amylose: amylopectin ratio was found to be low in Varai, indicating that Varai has low starch digestibility and its starch releases glucose slowly, thus making it a low glycaemic index food. Protein content was higher in Tamil Nadu variety, but overall Varai had a lower protein content as compared to other millets. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) gene from plastid was isolated, amplified by PCR, sequenced and the sequence was submitted to GenBank, NCBI. The gene was identified to be that of Echinochloa frumentacea and was given the accession numbers by GenBank as OR027010 (Varai, Maharashtra) and OR027011 (Varai, Tamil Nadu). This study indicated a distinct biochemical difference related to the geographical location of millets. This study helped barcoding of Echinochloa frumentacea Indian varieties using rbcL gene. This will further help in studies of phylogeny and evolution and also that of the relatedness of Echinochloa sp within and as compared to other millets.

Ameliorating Forage Crop Resilience in Dry Steppe Zone Using Millet Growth Dynamics

Introducing new forage crops such as Japanese millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is crucial for mitigating the impacts of climate change in the dry steppe zone, expanding forage crop options, and obtaining nutritious feed for the development of animal husbandry. The aim of this study was to assess the productivity and feed value of these crops. Field experiments were conducted in 2021 and 2022 to investigate the changes and variations in the yields and chemical compositions of Japanese millet and pearl millet when grown as sole crops or in mixed cropping in the dry steppe zone of northern Kazakhstan. Among the annual crops sown via sole cropping, the hay of the Japanese millet, sown in the third decade of May and harvested during full heading, was observed to have a higher content of raw protein and other nutrients than Sudanese grass hay, that is, the raw protein content was higher at 1.81%, the raw oil content at 0.12, and the raw ash content at 1.88%. In addition, among the mixtures of crops, the hay of the crop mixtures containing pearl millet, sown in the above period and harvested as hay during the milky stage, the full heading stage, and the formation of spikelets in the grain family stage, differed from the hay of Sudanese grass sown in the same period and collected during full heading in terms of the contents of raw protein and other nutrients and the low content of raw ash, that is, the content of raw protein was at 2.16%, raw oil at 0.39, raw ash at 0.95, without nitrogen extractives (WNEs) at 3.78, and starch at 0.11. The calcium content was higher by 0.08% and carotene by 0.11 mg/kg, and raw lentils were lower by 0.94%. The analysis of the results revealed that the variation in the crops’ phenological phases depended on the moisture availability and the sowing time.

Deciphering Trait Association and their Effect on Yield, Yield Attributing and Quality Traits in Barnyard Millet [Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link

Deciphering Trait Association and their Effect on Yield, Yield Attributing and Quality Traits in Barnyard Millet [Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link

Comparison of dehulling efficiency and grain nutritional parameters of two cultivated barnyard millet species (Echinochloa spp.)

Due to increased awareness regarding the health-promoting profile of millets, inclination towards their consumption has increased considerably. In the Himalayan region of India, cultivars of the two species of barnyard millet, namely Indian (Echinochloa frumentacea) and Japanese barnyard millet (E. esculenta), are grown. To compare the dehulled grain recovery, grain physical parameters, nutritional profile and antioxidant activity, an experiment was carried out at ICAR-VPKAS, Almora, Uttarakhand hills for two years using released and popular cultivars of Indian barnyard millet (VL 207 and VL 172) and Japanese barnyard millet (PRJ-1). The results indicated that the whole grain yield of Japanese barnyard millet cultivar PRJ-1 was significantly higher than Indian Barnyard millet cultivars VL 172 and VL 207; however, the dehulled grain recovery was considerably higher in VL 172 and VL 207 than PRJ-1. Similarly, the physical grain parameters were significantly higher in PRJ-1, but most dehulled grain parameters were at par in cultivars of both species. The nutritional estimation of dehulled grains of both species did not show remarkable differences for most traits. Still, crude fibre, Mn, and Zn were high in PRJ-1, while total digestible nutrients and phosphorous were high in VL 172 and VL 207. Dehulled grains exhibited much more crude protein, ash, minerals, and total digestible nutrients, but the husk accumulated significantly higher crude fibre and total polyphenols.

Intercropping of Echinochloa frumentacea with Leguminous Forages Improves Hay Yields, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Diversity, and Soil Enzyme Activities in Saline–Alkali Soil

Soil salinization is detrimental to crop growth, agricultural yields, and environmental protection. Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link is a pioneer species for the alteration of saline–alkali lands. In this paper, we examined the effects of intercropping between E. frumentacea and leguminous forages on saline land improvement in the saline–alkali soil of the Hetao-Ningxia Plain, China. We found that intercropping increased the diversity and richness of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community in the rhizosphere soil of E. frumentacea. Glomus was the dominant genus in the saline–alkali soil of the Hetao-Ningxia Plain, where Glomeraceae, VTX00067, VTX000193, and VTX000165 were the dominant species. Intercropping improved the activities of soil urease, sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase. The hay yields of E. frumentacea were correlated positively with soil enzyme activities, Chao1 index, and ACE index, and negatively with total water-soluble salt content. Together, intercropping between E. frumentacea and leguminous forages enhances AMF diversity and soil enzyme activities, which provides an agricultural practice for improving sustainability of the agro-ecosystem in saline–alkali areas.

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Sodic Soil-grown Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link) Germplasm

Aims: Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) is a significant tiny millet crop characterized by because of its high nutritional value, exceptional ability to withstand extremes of climate, and short duration. Globally, the area under salt affected soil is expanding. Therefore, genetic diversity analysis was conducted to identify genetically diverse genotypes for yield improvement under sodic condition.
 Study Design: Randomised block design.
 Place and Duration of Study: An experiment was carried under sodic soil condition at Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Trichy, Tamil Nadu.
 Methodology: Ninety two genotypes of barnyard millet, including two commercial check varieties, MDU1 and CO (KV) 2. Plant height (cm), inflorescence length (cm), inflorescence width (cm), lower raceme length (cm), flag leaf length (cm), flag leaf width (cm), number of leaves on main tiller, number of productive tillers per plant, and grain yield per plant (g) were the nine quantitative traits that were recorded. GENRES software version 3.11 was used for analysing the data.
 Results: For all of the analysed attributes, the genotypes showed significant differences based on the analysis of variance. Ninety two genotypes were divided into nine groups according to nine quantitative features using Mahalanobis D2-Statistics. Cluster II was the one with the greatest number with 25 genotypes, followed by cluster V with 22 genotypes, Cluster VI with 17 genotypes, Cluster IV with 11 genotypes, Cluster I with 8 genotypes, Cluster VIII with 4 genotypes, Cluster III and VII with only 2 genotypes per cluster, and Cluster IX with just 1 genotype. Cluster IV was second in terms of intra-cluster distance, after Cluster VIII. The largest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters I (TNAUF01000021 - EF 37, TNAUF01000022 - EF 38, TNAUF01000022 - EF 39, etc.) and IX (MDU1).
 Conclusion: Choosing these genotypes as parents from genetically diverse clusters for breeding programmes might produce heterotic hybrids that produce enough genetic diversity in barnyard millet genotypes under sodic soil conditions.

Fortification and Development of Nutritive Rich Cupcake using Prunus dulcis

Background: Almond (Prunus dulcis) is the most consumed tree nut, next to walnut and cashew and India is number one importer of almonds. Ingredients such as Barnyard millet (Echinochloa frumentacea), Kodo millet (Panicum sumatrense) and Black rice (Oryza sativa) were popular in the past but neglected by people now a days due to changes in the life style and regular food intake. Taking this into consideration an attempt was made to utilize these ingredients to develop a low-cost cupcake (Almocake) with high calcium and magnesium content for people suffering from micronutrient deficiency. The current rate of cupcakes per kg is approximately 700 rs/kg but the “Almocake” is 495 rs per kg, which is much lesser than the commercially available one. Methods: The ingredients were procured, dry roasted and ground. Three different proportions supplemented with 1:2:2:2, 1:2:1:2 and 2:1:1:1 ABVB (Almond, Barnyard millet, Kodo millet and Black rice) per serving were prepared and sensory analysis was carried out using a five-point hedonic scale that considered appearance, texture, taste and aroma. Result: The proportion 2:1:1:1 was found to be comparatively better than the other proportions. Nutritional analysis tests show that calcium content of 39.4 mg and Magnesium content of 23.8 mg were present in the cupcake. The antioxidant activity by DPPH antioxidant test was found to be 60%. The shelf life analysis by spread plate technique of the product was observed to be 20 days.

Studies on effect of various seed priming treatments on seed yield in Barnyard Millet (Echinochloa frumentacea) cv CO1

Field investigation was carried out to study the effect of various seed priming treatments on seed yield in barnyard millet cv CO 1. The seeds of barnyard millet cv CO 1 were given with following seed treatments i.e., dry dressing with Thiram @ 2 g/kg, Hydropriming, bio priming with Pungam leaf extract @ 5%, Moringa leaf extract @ 5%, organo priming with Vermiwash @ 5%, Panchagavya @ 5%, halo priming with MnSO4 @ 2%, ZnSO4 @ 2% along with control. The primed seeds were evaluated for the growth parameters, physiological parameters, gas exchange parameters and yield attributing characteristics. The Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment recorded higher values for the growth parameters such as field emergence, plant height at 45 days and plant height at 90 days. It also recorded early days to first flowering, early days to 50 % flowering when compared to other treatments. The Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment registered significantly higher values for the physiological parameters such as chlorophyll content at 45 DAS, chlorophyll content at 90 DAS, net assimilation rate at 30-50 DAS and 50-95 DAS, leaf area and gas exchange parameters such as photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. In addition to the above characters, Moringa leaf extract @ 5% seed priming treatment also registered significantly higher values for the various seed yield attributing characteristics such as panicle weight plant-1, panicle to seed recovery, seed yield plant-1, seed yield plot-1 and 1000 seed weight.