Echinochloa crusgalli - Large barnyard-grass
Family: Poaceae (Grass) [E-flora]
| Caution | Seed, Young shoots, Coffee | Soil Reclaimation | Styptic, Tonic |
 [Picryl] |
"Echinochloa crus-galli is a ANNUAL growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 6. It is in flower from Jul to September, and the seeds ripen from Aug to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure." [PFAF]
"General: Annual grass from fibrous roots; stems pith-filled or hollow, decumbent to erect, the nodes smooth, (30) 60-160 cm tall.
Stem: spreading, decumbent or stiffly erect, 3–20 dm." [IFBC-E-flora]
"Habitat / Range
Moist to dry ditches, disturbed sites, clearings and fields in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; common in S BC; introduced from Eurasia." [IFBC-E-flora] "Moist clearings, wet ditches, cultivated fields,
bamyards; common at low elevations, mostly in settled areas." [PCBC2004]
Origin Status: Exotic [E-flora]
Hazards
Accumulator
"This grass has been reported to accumulate levels of nitrate in its tissues high enough to be toxic to farm animals[269]. This problem is most likely to occur when plants are fed with inorganic fertilizers [K]." [PFAF]
Ergot
"As far as we know, any grass will produce edible seeds, providing they are not affected by a fungus infection such as ergot. The ergot fonns a black, cylindrical or cigar-shaped body that re- places the grass seed. This Inass is poisonous, but fortunately it is rather conspicuous." [Harrington]Edible Uses
Seed
- "Cooked[35, 55, 105, 171]. Used as a millet, it can be cooked whole or be ground into a flour before use[183, 257]. It has a good flavour[85] and can be used in porridges, macaroni, dumplings etc[183]. The seed is rather small[159], though fairly easy to harvest. It has a somewhat bitter flavour[178].... The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[177]." [PFAF]
- "This species, which is cultivated in the Old World and whose seed is used there
for food, attained some importance in the diet of certain Southwestern Indians.... Grain size is also similar to Panicum but perhaps a little larger. This grass and
several others... were semicultivated by Arizona Indians." [Doebley,1984]
- "This grass is locally very abundant, has fairly large seeds, and
was often used as food by the Indians. The seeds were dried or
parched, then ground into a meal or flour. This was Inixed with
water or milk and baked into cakes, or Inade into a mush; in any
form it was said to be of good flavor and nutritious (Kephart, 140).... We have ground
the seeds, chaff and all, and made cakes with the flour. They were
surprisingly delicious.
" [Harrington]
- Coffee: "Barnyard grass is particularly suitable as a coffee substitute because it is plentiful and easy to harvest." [Coffee]
- "The grains should be collected promptly just as they mature, since they quickly become ovprripe and fall to the ground. It is best to break off the entire fruiting heads when they start to turn brown, allow them to dry thoroughly in a cloth or paper bag, and then extract the grains by rubbing the heads between the fingers or beating them against a screen or tray. The chaff can be separated by winnowing the grains lightly on a windy day or in front of a fan; the light straw-like material will simply blow away. The cleaned grain should be roasted in a slow oven at about 120°C (250°F) until dark brown. It can then be stored in a closed container and ground and used as needed. If you grind the grain to a fine powder you can simply add it to hot water in a cup as you would instant coffee, or if it is more coarsely ground you can infuse it or percolate it as you would regular coffee. Experiment with the quantity until it is to your taste; start with about 5 ml (l tsp) per cup and increase the amount as required." [Coffee]
"Wild-grain coffee can be sweetened with sugar, honey, or molasses and taken with milk or cream if desired. Different kinds of grains can be mixed together, and all can be blended very effectively with regular coffee." [Coffee]
Young shoots, stem tips and the heart of the culm
- "Raw or cooked[144, 177]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]." [PFAF]
- Seeds used for food. Seeds stored for later use. [Moerman NAEth]
- "Yuma Porridge Seeds pound-
ed, winnowed, ground, made into mush, and used to cook with fish.
Staple Seeds pounded, winnowed, parched, and ground into a meal."
[Moerman NAEth]
Other Uses
Fodder
Seed
- "Cooked[35, 55, 105, 171]. Used as a millet, it can be cooked whole or be ground into a flour before use[183, 257]. It has a good flavour[85] and can be used in porridges, macaroni, dumplings etc[183]. The seed is rather small[159], though fairly easy to harvest. It has a somewhat bitter flavour[178].... The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[177]." [PFAF]
- "This species, which is cultivated in the Old World and whose seed is used there for food, attained some importance in the diet of certain Southwestern Indians.... Grain size is also similar to Panicum but perhaps a little larger. This grass and several others... were semicultivated by Arizona Indians." [Doebley,1984]
- "This grass is locally very abundant, has fairly large seeds, and was often used as food by the Indians. The seeds were dried or parched, then ground into a meal or flour. This was Inixed with water or milk and baked into cakes, or Inade into a mush; in any form it was said to be of good flavor and nutritious (Kephart, 140).... We have ground the seeds, chaff and all, and made cakes with the flour. They were surprisingly delicious. " [Harrington]
- Coffee: "Barnyard grass is particularly suitable as a coffee substitute because it is plentiful and easy to harvest." [Coffee]
- "The grains should be collected promptly just as they mature, since they quickly become ovprripe and fall to the ground. It is best to break off the entire fruiting heads when they start to turn brown, allow them to dry thoroughly in a cloth or paper bag, and then extract the grains by rubbing the heads between the fingers or beating them against a screen or tray. The chaff can be separated by winnowing the grains lightly on a windy day or in front of a fan; the light straw-like material will simply blow away. The cleaned grain should be roasted in a slow oven at about 120°C (250°F) until dark brown. It can then be stored in a closed container and ground and used as needed. If you grind the grain to a fine powder you can simply add it to hot water in a cup as you would instant coffee, or if it is more coarsely ground you can infuse it or percolate it as you would regular coffee. Experiment with the quantity until it is to your taste; start with about 5 ml (l tsp) per cup and increase the amount as required." [Coffee]
"Wild-grain coffee can be sweetened with sugar, honey, or molasses and taken with milk or cream if desired. Different kinds of grains can be mixed together, and all can be blended very effectively with regular coffee." [Coffee]
Young shoots, stem tips and the heart of the culm
- "Raw or cooked[144, 177]. A nutritional analysis is available[218]." [PFAF]
- Seeds used for food. Seeds stored for later use. [Moerman NAEth]
- "Yuma Porridge Seeds pound- ed, winnowed, ground, made into mush, and used to cook with fish. Staple Seeds pounded, winnowed, parched, and ground into a meal." [Moerman NAEth]
Other Uses
Fodder
"Earlier in this century. enterprising American seedsmen (hucksters) advertised a cultivated variety of barnyard-grass as 'billion dollar grass,' recom- mended for forage as green feed. silage or hay. However. it proved too succulent for hay and its use waned with the introduction of other productive crops of higher value." [PCBC2004]
Soil Reclaimation
- "The plant is sometimes used, especially in Egypt, for the reclamation of saline and alkaline areas[269]." [PFAF]
Medicinal Uses
- "reported to be preventative and tonic, barnyard grass is a folk remedy for treating carbuncles, haemorrhages, sores, spleen trouble, cancer and wounds[269]." [PFAF]
- Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. - Whole plant - Mouth diseases, Spleen diseases - (Kak, 2007) [Pullaiah EOI]
Shoots & Roots
- "are applied as a styptic to wounds[218, 240]." [PFAF]
The Plant
- "A tonic, acting on the spleen[218, 240]." [PFAF]
Nutritional Information
Large Barnyard Grass – E. crusgalli[218] [PFAF]
| Part: | Leaves | Per 100 g dry weight |
| Food Energy (Kcal) | - | Ash (g) | 8.6 |
| Water (g) | 0 | ||
| Protein (g) | 7.4 | ||
| Fat (g) | 2.9 | ||
| Carbohydrate (g) | 81.1 | ||
| Fiber (g) | 31.3 |
[Turner&Kuhnlein]
Propagation
"Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. A sowing in situ in late spring might also succeed but is unlikely to ripen a crop of seed if the summer is cool and wet." [PFAF]
Cultivation
"An easily grown plant, it is adapted to nearly all types of wet places, and is often a common weed in paddy fields, roadsides, cultivated areas, and fallow fields[269]. It succeeds on a variety of wet sites such as ditches, low areas in fertile croplands and wet wastes, often growing in water[269]. It succeeds in cool regions, but is better adapted to areas where the average annual temperature is 14-16°C[269]. Tolerant of most soil types, including saline conditions, plants are not restricted by soil pH[269]. Prefers a rich moist soil[85] but succeeds in ordinary garden soil[1]. The sub-species E. crus-galli zelayensis (HBK)Hitchc. is often found growing wild in alkaline soils[236]. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 31 to 250cm, an annual temperature range of 5.7 to 27.8°C and a pH in the range of 4.8 to 8.2[269]. Barnyard millet is sometimes cultivated for its edible seed in India[171]. It has a relatively long growing season and does not always ripen its seed in Britain, though it should do better in the eastern half of the country[K]. The plant is considered to be a very serious weed of many cultivated crops[269]." [PFAF]
The dried powder of M. sativa has been shown to inhibit the germination and growth of Echinochloa crus-galli Wight (Gwon & Kim, 2006). [MedSativa]
"Members of three antimicrobial peptide families and two protease inhibitor families were found to be localized in barnyard grass seeds. Their biological activity concerning to Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative phy- topathogenic bacteria, as well as oomycete Phytophthora infestans, has been investigated. Diversity of barnyard grass defense peptides is a significant factor that provides a resistance of E. crusgalli seeds to germination and latent phases." [Rogozhin,2012]
Crop weed: "Barnyard grass [Echinochloa crusgalli (L.) Beauv.], an annual grass, has been reported to cause problems in at least 61 countries and in at least 36 different crops (Holm et al., 1991). It is a major weed in paddy fields as it competes with rice (Oryza sativa L.) and causes reduction in rice yield. Competition from 25 barnyard grass plants/m2 can cause 50% reduction in rice yield (Chin, 2001)." [Xuan,2006]
"The same principle was exploited by Scheepens (1987) to aid control of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) by Cochliobolus Iunatus. Here, the synergistic effect between fungus and herbicide was achieved with a low dose of the chemical (2.5 mg/m2). Gohbara and Yamagu- chi (1993) showed that the herbicide pyrazo-sulfuron-ethyl synergizes the control of barnyard grass by Dreschlera monoceras at the much lower dose of 0.044 mg/m2." [Burges FMB]
"Dahlquist et al. (2007) observed that seeds of all tested weed species were killed at 50°C and above, though Portulaca oleracea L., Amaranthus albus L., Echinochloa crus-galli L., and Solanum nigrum L. were not affected by heating up to 46°C, 42°C, and 39°C." [Lichtfouse SAR 3]
Allelopathic Interactions
"The dried powder of M. sativa[Medicago sativa] has been shown to inhibit the germination and growth of Echinochloa crus-galli Wight (Gwon & Kim, 2006)." [Bora,2011]
"Ergosterol peroxide was obtained for the first time from Oryza sativa in 2006. This is the first report of potential allelopathic activity of steroids on weeds based on their phytotoxicity on barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) as target species.363" [Liu et al.,2013]
"Rice, another main crop, that is mainly cultivated in north of Iran. There are many research programmes regarding allelopathy of rice in this country. Asghari et al. (2006) conducted several studies on rice allelopathy and found that seedling growth of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) was very sensitive to rice tissues. Hull extracts of 46 rice cultivars at various concentrations had inhibitory effect on barnyard grass seedling growth" [Cheema Alleleopathy]
"Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) also contains a number of allelochemicals that possess phytotoxic effect against weeds. Previously, Panasiuk et al. (1986) revealed that weeds such as Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv., Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Rumex acetosella L., when interplanted with sorghum showed a significant reduction in their germination, growth and dry weight." [Dighton IIS]
"Allelopathic potential of plants is affected by many factors. An increase of allelopathic effects was observed by the water deficit, high temperature, high irradi- ance, pathogen, insect and herbivore damages, or nutrients deficiency (Hura et al. 2006). In other case, the concentrations of the allelochemicals released from the allelopathic rice seedlings in soil increased dramatically (3-fold higher) when they were surrounded with barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.) (Kong et al. 2006)." [Lichtfouse SAR 3]
"Kava showed a strong inhibition on growth of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli)..." [EMNMPV.11]
"There are many experiments which showed allelopathic effect of different plants, e.g., alkaloid content of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) leaves showed allelopathic activity against root growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli) [36]." [Ramawat NP]
Phytoremediation
In soil co-contaminated by cadmium, lead and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Indian mallow (Abutilon avicennae) and Indian joinivetch (Aeschynomene indica) likely and rapidly remove TNT (Lee et al., 2007).[Golubev HP]
Similarly, Lee et al. (2007) worked on four plant species i.e. barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Indian mallow (Abutilon avicennae) and Indian jointvetch (Aeschynomene indica), for the remediation of TNT contaminated soil and observed that all the four species had a high potential to remove TNT and its metabolites, regardless of whether the culture was grown single or mixed. The concentrations of TNT and its metabolites, 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2-ADNT)) and 4-amino-2,6 dinitrotoluene (4-ADNT) were found very high in H. annuus, A. indica and A. avicennae except Echinochloa crusgalli.[Singh BRER]
They examined the effect of oil addition on the growth and development of common chickweed (Stellaria media L.), couch grass (Elytrigia repens L.), and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli L.) at both laboratory and field scales. Addition of oil prolonged the vegetative period, but the plant height in polluted soil did not reach the control value. In polluted (0.5–4%) soil, a decrease in the yield of the above-ground biomass was observed. Under the effect of oil, the protein content of couch grass hay decreased twofold. The herbage of all three grasses contained 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene 10- to 15-fold in excess of the background maximum allowable values, ruling out the possibility that these grasses could be used as fodder crops.[Willey PMR]
"A similar study on Echinochloa crus-galli was done and showed that root exudates allow increased accumulation of Pb, Cd, and Cu. A much higher concentration of metals was absorbed by the plant in the presence of root exudates as compared with those without them. Hence they serve as potent natural chelators (Kim et al., 2010). Natural chelators have the ability to increase mobility of metals by making them uncharged. They are synthesized by the plant and are more promising than synthetic chelators that pose threats to soil." [ghori,2016]
"Since diversity of plant and bacteria community are mostly affected in polluted environment (Travis et al. 2008), it is necessary during phytoremediation, to choose plants with known capabilities of degrading or accumulating contaminants, that can also complement each other rather than those that compete with each other. For example, when Echinochloa crus-galli, Helianthus annuus and Abutilon avicennae and Aeschynomene indica were used as mixed and mono- cultures in a 2,4,6- trinitrotoluene, Cd and Pb phytoremediation trial, trinitrotoluene was removed irrespective of mixed or monocultures. Moreover, more Cd was removed by mono- culture than mixed culture and there appeared to be competition as slower growth rate was reported in the mixed culture (Lee et al. 2007)." [HMR,Gupta]
"Chen et al. (2005) found that mycorrhizae enhanced biomass and root/shoot ratios of Kummerowia striata, Ixeris denticulata, and Echinochloa crus-galli. They suggested that under an elevated Pb condition, mycorrhizae could promote plant growth by increasing Pb uptake and mitigating Pb toxicity by sequestrating more Pb in roots." [Phytorem1]
The continuous use of propanil (Herbicide) in Arkansas rice production has resulted in the development of a propanil-resistant barnyardgrass biotype, capable of metabolizing the herbicide by arylacylamidase activity (80–82). [PlantTox]
"Oil and oil products are major technogenic pollutants in the Republic of Bashkortostan, eastern Russia. For over 7 yr, scientists at Bashkir State University have been studying the effect of oil-contaminated soils on agricultural plants (4,5). They examined the effect of oil addition on the growth and development of common chickweed (Stellaria media L.), couch grass (Elytrigia repens L.), and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli L.) at both laboratory and field scales. Addition of oil prolonged the vegetative period, but the plant height in polluted soil did not reach the control value. In polluted (0.5–4%) soil, a decrease in the yield of the above-ground biomass was observed. Under the effect of oil, the protein content of couch grass hay decreased twofold. The herbage of all three grasses contained 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene 10- to 15-fold in excess of the background maximum allowable values, ruling out the possibility that these grasses could be used as fodder crops. However, because couch grass is able to form turf, it can be recommended for use on oil-contaminated lands with a view to recovering soil fertility (6)." [Willey PMR]
Synonyms
- [Bora,2011] Bora KS, Sharma A. Phytochemical and pharmacological potential of Medicago sativa: a review. Pharm Biol. 2011 Feb;49(2):211-20. doi: 10.3109/13880209.2010.504732. Epub 2010 Oct 25. PMID: 20969516.
- [Doebley,1984] Doebley, J.F. “Seeds” of wild grasses: A major food of Southwestern Indians. Econ Bot 38, 52–64 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02904415
- [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Echinochloa%20crus-galli, Accessed April 9, 2015; Feb 7, 2024
- [ghori,2016] Ghori, Zoya, et al. "Phytoextraction: the use of plants to remove heavy metals from soil." Plant metal interaction. Elsevier, 2016. 385-409.
- [Liu et al.,2013] Liu, Dong-Ze, and Ji-Kai Liu. "Peroxy natural products." Natural Products and Bioprospecting 3 (2013): 161-206.
- [MedSativa]Phytochemical and pharmacological potential of Medicago sativa: A review, Kundan Singh Bora and Anupam Sharma, Pharmaceutical Biology, 2011; 49(2)
- [PFAF] http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Echinochloa+crus-galli, Accessed April 9, 2015; Feb 7, 2024
- Picryl - Bulletin of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1913-1923. (1910s), United States. Dept. of Agriculture, Accessed Feb 9, 2024
- [PlantTox] Plant Toxixology, 4th Ed., edited by Bertold Hock (Professor of Cell Biology and Dean of the Center of Life and Food Sciences, Technische Universitat Munchen) & Erich F. Elstner(Professor and Head of the Institute of Phytopathology, Technische Universitat Munchen, Freising Germany), 2005, Marcel Dekker, New York, USA
- [Rogozhin,2012] Rogozhin, E. A., et al. "Defense peptides from barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli L.) seeds." Peptides 38.1 (2012): 33-40.
- [Xuan,2006] Xuan, Tran Dang, et al. "Identification of phytotoxic substances from early growth of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli) root exudates." Journal of Chemical Ecology 32 (2006): 895-906.
Echinochloa Sp. - Barnyard Grass
"Annual to perennial herb. Stem: decumbent to erect; internode hollow or solid. Leaf: basal and cauline; sheath generally glabrous; ligule generally 0; blade generally flat, linear to linear lanceolate, midrib prominent, upper surface generally glabrous. Inflorescence: panicle-like, of simple or compound branches; branches angular, generally ascending to appressed, axis generally glabrous; spikelets generally many, 1–2 per node, generally subsessile, densely packed on branches. Spikelet: ovoid to compressed, falling as one unit, breaking free below glumes, or not at all; florets 2(3), lower floret sterile or staminate, upper florets bisexual, anthers 3; glumes membranous, unequal, lower < upper, short-bristly to hairy, generally green to ± purple, upper glume unawned or shortly awned; lower lemma similar to the upper glume in length and texture, unawned or awned, upper lemma leathery, dorsally rounded, mostly smooth, tip short or elongate, firm or membranous, unawned; upper palea free from lemma at tip, lower palea vestigial to well developed.
40–50 species: warm temperate, subtropics, worldwide. (Greek: hedgehog grass, from bristly spikelet) [Webster 1993 TJM (1993):1252–1253; Michael 2003 FNANM 25:390–403] [Jepson]
Local Species;
- Echinochloa crusgalli - large barnyard-grass [E-flora]
Use of other Echinochloa Sp.
Echinochloa colona (L.) Link, Jungle Rice "Porridge Seeds parched, ground, and the flour cooked into a mush....Seeds parched, ground, and the flour eaten dry." [Moerman NAEth]
"A related species (or by some botanists considered merely a variety of the above) is Echinochloa frumentacea} often called "Japanese millet." It is cultivated in Japan and the East Indies and used as a cereal." [Harrington]
References
- [Jepson] Scott Simono, adapted from Michael (2003), 2013. Echinochloa, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=11047, accessed on Apr 9 2015