Description
Urochloa eminii, commonly known as Congo grass, is a species of forage crop in the family Poaceae that is grown throughout the humid tropics. With fast growth at the beginning of the wet season due to strong seedling vigour, ease of establishment, good seed production and yield and the ability to suppress weeds it has the ability to become developed into the most important forage crop planted in the tropics. With the aid of genomic tools to research the genotype and gain more information there is the ability to increase breeding programs which are currently rather limited.
Urochloa eminii is a tufted grass, that grows as a creeping perennial with short rhizomes that form a dense leafy cover over the ground. Stems of the plant arise from many-noded creeping shoots and short rhizomes and then when fully grown reach a height of 1.5 m when flowering. The leaves of this grass are soft but hairy, with an average width of 15mm, length of 25mm and a seed weight of 250,000/kg.[1] The seeds should be drilled into a well prepared seed bed, sowing in rows that are spaced 60 cm apart and it can be grazed upon as soon as it is ready
Uses
Congo Grass can be used as both a permanent or semi-permanent grass for pastures. It can be used to graze animals on or for cutting for green feed and conservation. This forage crop is found across much of the humid tropics through South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Congo grass is a valuable forage for ruminants
References
Synonym : (Brachiaria ruziziensis)
ECHO Asia SFRC
Common Names
- English
- Congo Signal
- Kennedy ruzi
- Prostrate signal grass
- Congo Grass
- Thai
- หญ้าคองโก