| DESCRIPTION: A creeping, stoloniferous, tufted grass with slender, blue-tinged culms up to 45 cm tall with fine pointed, glabrous leaves, 4ˆ20 cm long, 2ˆ6 mm wide. It spread by both seed and runners. Stolons can grow to 1.5ˆ2 metres. USES: It is very palatable, even to maturity. Used for hay and pasture and withstands heavy grazing. Can also be used for ground cover and erosion control. GROWING PERIOD Summer-growing perennial. COMMON NAMES Nadi blue grass, Nawai grass, Jiribilla, Antigua hay grass. FURTHER INF: It is native of South-East Asia. It can be found at elevations from 600-1000 m and is common on swampy places, open humid woodland and black cotton soils. It is quite drought tolerant, but makes little growth in dry weather and withstands waterlogging well. Well adapted to 1500ˆ2500 mm rainfall with a moderate dry season of 5ˆ6 months. Preferably full sunlight but will grow under moderate shade. Generally found on heavier (black) clays of moderate fertility. Such soils are generally slightly acid to alkaline, with no Al problems. Drainage can be poor under high rainfall. Said to be found on sandy soils in southern India. Poor salt tolerance. Dry matter yields may be about 11-23 t/ha. |