Botanical Name : Dichanthium Annulate (Forks.) Staff, Anthropogony Annulets Forsake., A. Papillose Hoechst. Ex A. Rich, D. Nodosum Willamette, D. Papillose (Hoechst. Ex A. Rich.) Stapf. |
Introduction |
· It Is Distributed From Tropical Africa To South-East Asia, New Guinea And Northern Australia. It Is Widely Used For Hay In India. The Grass Is A Highly Preferred Forage Grass In India. Being Indigenous To The Indian And African Gene Centers, It Shows Maximum Genetic Diversity In India And South Africa. Out Of The 20 Species Of The Genus Dichanthium Reported From The Tropics And Subtropics, India Has 8 Species Distributed In Various Agro-Ecological Zones, But Only Two Species, Viz. D. Annulate And D. Curiosum Are Widely Used For Large Scale Forage Production. This Grass Commonly Occurs Throughout The Plains And Hills Of India Up To 1500 M Altitude And Has A Wide Range Of Adaptations From Low Rainfall Areas In Rajasthan And Gujarat States To Heavy Rainfall Areas Of Western And Southern India. It Tolerates A Wide Range Of Soils But Prefers Black Cotton Soils In India And Will Not Thrive In Acidic Soils. It Grows During The Wet Season From June To November In India And After Harvest In November For Hay. It Provides Spring Growth From February To March, But This Growth Is Shemmy. |
Botanical Description |
· It Is An Erect Tufted, 100–120 Cm Tall, Fine Stemmed Perennial Grass. Culms Are Purplish Red Or Bluish In Colour With Distinct White Hair Rings At Each Node. Leaves Are Green To Bluish Green, 23–45 Cm Long, 2–7 Mm Wide And Margins Are Sparsely Pubescent. Inflorescence Is A Compound Raceme With 2–8 Purplish False Spikes. The Spikes Are 3–7 Cm Long, Geniculate, Twisted Awn 8–25 Mm, Arising Nearly From The Terminal Tip Of The Culm. Each False Spike Is A Raceme Of Paired Spikelet, One Sessile And The Other Pedicillate. The Distinguishing Character Is The Absence Of Pits On The Glumes Of Its Spikelet. |
Cultivation Practices |
· In A Well Prepared Land, The Seeds @ 4–6 Kg/Ha Are Sown After The First Shower In Monsoon. Establishment Is Best When 5 Week Old Seedlings/Rooted Slips Are Transplanted In Lines 50 Cm Apart And At 30 Cm Plant To Plant Distance. At The Time Of Sowing, A Basal Dose On 20 Kg N And 20 Kg P2O5/Ha Is Applied. At One Month Old Stage, A Top Dressing Of 20 Kg N/Ha Should Be Applied. |