Redgram is a protein rich staple food and contains about 22 per cent protein, which is almost three times that of cereals. Pelleting is a presowing physical seed management technique, in which growth promotive substances with protective, nutritive and invigourative function are applied on the seed to enhance the seed-soil relationship. To evaluate the efficacy of herbal powders for seed pelleting, studies were initiated with redgram cv. CO 7 with Carboxy methyl cellulose adhesive @ 200 ml per kilogram of seed and were coated with the herbal powders viz., noni (Morinda citrifolia ), tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) and gallnut (Terminalia chebula) @ 200 g kg -1 of seed. The pelleted seed evaluated for the effect of seed invigouration, nursery emergence and storability along with unpelleted reviled that tulasi leaf powder followed by noni improved the seedling vigour and field emergence. At field pelleted seed has enhanced chlorophyll index highlighting the efficacy of the treatment. The treated seed also stored well upto one month with restoration of all evaluated seed quality characters.

Various concentrations (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) of aqueous extracts prepared from two weed species namely Ageratum conyzoides L. and Cleome viscosa L. and used for the present experiments to determine their allelopathic potential on growth and developmental changes on sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). The weed extracts showed an inhibitory effect on germination percentage, root and shoot growth, and fresh and dry weight of sesame seedlings. The extracts of A.conyzoides had more inhibitory effect at 20%concentration,than that of C.viscosa on growth parameters of sesame.

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Pelleting is a physical pre-sowing seed management technique, in which seeds are enclosed with biopromotive substances to improve the field stand. To evaluate the efficacy of plant herbal powders for seed pelleting, studies were initiated with blackgram cv. ADT 3, in which seeds were pelleted with the leaf powders of noni (Morinda citrifolia) and basil (Ocimum sanctum) and fruit powder of gallnut (Terminalia chebula) @ 200 g kg-1 of seed using Carboxy methyl cellulose @ 200 ml per kilogram of seed as an adhesive. The results revealed that seeds pelleted with the leaf powders of either basil improved the seed germination by 6% and seedling vigour (23%), seedling length (9%) and seedling dry weight (5%). In raised bed nursery, the seeds pelleted with basil leaf powder @ 200 g kg-1 of seed recorded improved field emergence (7%) with higher chlorophyll index (30%) and nodule number (28%) highlighting the efficacy of the treatment. While, the seeds pelleted with gallnut fruit powder recorded lowest germination, vigour and field emergence which is significantly lesser than control. The delayed emergence, germination and vigour was due to the increase in hardiness of gallnut powder pelleted seed. Thus, the seeds treated with basil leaf powder @ 200 g kg-1 using carboxy methyl cellulose @ 200 ml per kilogram of seed as an adhesive, enhanced seed germination, vigour, seedling length and dry weight.