Floral Biology, Pollination, Genetics, Origin, and Diversity in Barnyard Millet

Barnyard millet (Echinochloa spp.) has emerged as one of the earliest indigenous millets throughout the semi-arid tropical regions of Asia and Africa. Communities belonging to hilly and tribal regions in Asia, particularly in India, China, and Japan, cultivate two main species for food and fodder: Echinochloa esculenta (A. Braun) H. Scholz; syn. E. utilis Ohwi Yabuno (Japanese barnyard millet) and Echinochloa frumentacea Link; syn. E. colona var. frumentacea (Link) Ridl. Due to its short life cycle, the crop has an extensive range of adaptations and occupies a specialized niche in marginally humid regions. Despite the crop’s endurance to withstand harsh conditions, its importance had been denied substantially over the last 50 years. It serves as a superior alternative during famine periods. In the Indian Himalayan region, the crop appeared to be utilized as a substitute for rice. It has been established to be a great choice for climate-resilient agriculture. It is a functional food crop because of its high nutrient content and antioxidant properties. Because the crop’s grains are so incredibly nutritious, demand for it has recently surged. Therefore, it has the potential to ensure both nutritional as well as food security, particularly in high-terrain regions where deficiencies in nutrients are frequent. Despite its enormous potential, the crop has not achieved widespread acceptance and remains visible only as sustenance for the underprivileged. In order to make the crop competitive and modernize its production, this effort aims to consolidate the scant knowledge on agricultural history, domestication, phylogeny, plant architecture, and floral biology of the crop that will be of use to the readers and researchers working on this crop.