Scientific name
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Synonyms
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Paspalum iridifolium Poepp.
Paspalum scopariumFlüggé |
Family/tribe
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Family: Poaceae (alt. Gramineae) subfamily: Panicoideae tribe: Paniceae. |
Common names
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imperial grass , capim Colômbia (Brazil); maicillo (Peru); cachi (Central America). |
Morphological description
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Perennial, 0.6–2 m in height, forming tufts with succulent stems (also reported to spread on slopes by long stolons). Leaves glabrous or hairy on the upper surface, 10–60 cm long and 5–35 mm wide. Inflorescence is a terminal and/or axillary panicle , 10–30 cm long, often purplish with 10–100 (mostly 15–25) spikes, 10–15 cm long. Spikelets slightly hairy, 2.5–3 mm long. A. scoparius is rather similar to the closely related micay grass (Axonopus micay García-Barr.). The latter can be distinguished by its non-tufted, creeping, rhizomatous habit, shorter growth (thus used for grazing), much shorter central rachis of the panicle and lower number of spikelets/spike . |
Distribution
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Native to:
North America: Mexico.
Mesoamerica: Costa Rica, Panama.
South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela. |
Uses/applications
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Used as cut forage (fresh and as silage); reported to be the main cut-and-carry grass in the coffee zone of Colombia, but increasingly being replaced by king grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. x Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke). |
Ecology
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Soil requirements
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Prefers well-drained, fertile soils with high organic matter content, but will also grow on acid, less fertile soils. |
Moisture
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Well adapted to the moist, sub-humid to humid tropics with 1,000 to >2,000 mm AAR; not very drought tolerant. |
Temperature
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Grows well in a fairly wide temperature range (14–26ºC); in Colombia, best growth from 1,200–2,000 m asl ; at altitudes <600 m, night temperatures need to be low. |
Light
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No information available. |
Reproductive development
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No information available. |
Defoliation
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Mainly used as a cut-and-carry grass ; cutting at soil surface recommended. |
Fire
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No information available. |
Agronomy
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Establishment
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Commonly established by stem cuttings (400 to >600 kg/ha). |
Fertiliser
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Reported to be less responsive to mineral fertilizer (mainly P) than most other grasses; however, responds well to application of manure. |
Compatibility (with other species)
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No information available. |
Companion species
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No information available. |
Pests and diseases
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Bacterial gummosis (Xanthomonas axonopodis Starr & Garcés) is a major limiting factor. |
Ability to spread
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Weed potential
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Feeding value
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Nutritive value
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Considered to be of moderate quality: CP values according to growth stage (from 5.3% after flowering to 11.8% for 60-day regrowth, Costa Rica and Colombia); IVDMD 40–84%; CF 23–35%; P 0.05–0.13%, Ca 0.27–0.70%. |
Palatability/acceptability
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Toxicity
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Production potential
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Dry matter
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10–20 t/ha/year DM (Colombia). |
Animal production
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4.7 l of milk/Blanco-Orejinegro cow/day (A. scoparius alone, Colombia). |
Genetics/breeding
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Seed production
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Reported to produce seeds but of very low germination. |
Herbicide effects
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Pre-emergence herbicide application is suggested, post-emergence application discouraged. |
Strengths
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Limitations
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- Lower growth rate and production in comparison with king grass (Pennisetum spp. hybrid ).
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Other comments
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Selected references
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- Agrosoft (2001) Especies forrajeras, VersiÓn 1.0: Pasto Imperial . Agrosoft Ltda., Medellin, Colombia.
| - Bernal, J. (1984) Manual de pastos y forrajes para Colombia . FederaciÓn Antioqueña de Ganaderos (FADEGAN), Medellín, Colombia.
| - Bogdan, A.V. (1977) Tropical pasture and fodder plants . Longman, New York, USA.
| - Lotero, J., Chaverra, H. and Crowder, L.V. (eds) (1971) Gramíneas y leguminosas forrajeras en Colombia . Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), Bogotá, Colombia.
| - Sánchez, J.M., Campabadal, C., Vargas, E. and Fonseca, H. (1986) Contenido proteico y mineral en los forrajes de la zona montañosa central de Costa Rica II. Efecto de la especie. Agronomía Costarricense, 10, 191–197.
| - Vargas, E., Campabadal, C. and Palmer, L. (1980) ComposiciÓn química y mineral de algunos forrajes de la Provincia de Cartago y su relaciÓn con los tequerimientos del ganado bovino. Agronomía Costarricense, 4, 165–173.
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Internet links
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Cultivars
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Cultivars | Country/date released | Details | | ‘Imperial ICA Clone 60’ | Colombia | Considered to be gummosis resistant. | | ‘Imperial ICA Clone 72’ | Colombia | Considered to be gummosis resistant. | |
Promising accessions
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Promising accessions | Country | Details | | None reported. | | | |
