Barnyard millet, also known as Udalu in Telugu is native of Eurasia. This millet is highly nutritious in comparison with other major cereals. The area of cultivation ranges from 50'n to 40's latitude in both temperature and tropical habitats. The success of barnyard millet is attributed to prolific seedling, seed dormancy, ability to grow rapidly and flower in range of photoperiods. Barnyard millet grass has some forage value but requires considerable water to produce more biomass and it is too succulent for 'hay' making. The edible seeds could be ground to meal to flour. Barnyard millet is an important rain fed crop of assured rainfall regions.
It is cultivated over a wide array of environmental and poor soil health conditions and grown both for grain and fodder. Its cultivation is mainly confined to forest and dry-land belts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar besides hills of Uttar Pradesh. It is generally cultivated in hill slopes and undulating fields.