Cenchrus ciliaris buffelgrass or african foxtail grass. They can be differentiated by the inflorescence bristles. Weed control in lawns cein4 plants that contanimate wool and mohair in texas. Establishment is slow and grass can be used 912 months after sowing bogdan, 1977. Buffel grass has been widely introduced in the dry tropics and subtropics as a pasture grass, for erosion control and revegetation of arid areas. Viability status of cenchrus ciliaris seeds in the three. It is also known by its basionym cenchrus ciliaris. In riparian areas in can replace native vegetation along riverbanks and damage habitats that are vital to the survival of many plant and animal species. Link is a species of grass native to most of africa, southern asia east to india, southern iran, and the extreme south of europe sicily. A blueprint is developed for assembling and assessing native plant material at one ecogeographical site prior to seed multiplication for restoring degraded drylands of. Since cenchrus ciliaris reproduces by apomixis an asexual method of seed production, there is very little genetic diversity in its stands.
In south india, pastures are kept 540 years, and regular grazing is allowed from 3rd year onwards. Therefore, strains of cenchrus ciliaris that are resistent to magnaporthe grisea are not likely to develop naturally. Plants profile for cenchrus spinifex coastal sandbur. Cenchrus ciliaris seed predried at 40 c 10 days normal 75%, fus 10% 15% dead seed germination method embedded 20 35c kno. Use of irrigation for seed production during the dry season. This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. A study was conducted with buffelgrass cenchrus ciliaris l. First introduced to north america during the midtwentieth century for establishing pastures, this african bunch grass has become an invasive species of concern. The effects of different maturation conditions on seed. Seed yield and vegetation characteristics of cenchrus.
The seed yields of cenchrus ciliaris and panicum maximum were significantly higher than that of andropogon gayanus. Our study covers stress related alterations in expression pattern of isozymes of acid phosphatase apase and amylase in cenchrus ciliaris, a desert plant after treatment of ni metal stress. Its seed germination is inherently poor and becomes unpredictable, especially in semiarid regions characterized by low rainfall, due to its extended period of dormancy. This is a very important pasture grass in many parts of the tropical world, mainly because of its ease and low cost of establishment, comparatively high value and yield, extreme drought. The genus cenchrus is very similar to the genus pennisetum. Pdf seed yield and quality of buffel grass cenchrus. Seeds produced by beta vulgaris plants grown at 16hr days showed a reduction in ability to germinate heide et al. Dormancy loss of spikelets and extracted caryopses was tested during dry afterripening at 40c and 43% equilibrium relative humidity. Caryopses from plants of cenchrus ciliaris matured under short days were less dormant and afterripened faster than those matured under long days sharifzadeh and murdoch, 2000. The results from this study showed that it is practically possible to produce high yields of cenchrus ciliaris seeds in morogoro during the dry period june october, about 120 days by of use irrigation as compared to wet season period table 2 a, b.
Dec 30, 2014 three promising genotypes cazri 75, cazri 2178 and cazri 2221 of buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris l. These species can be distinguished by the following differences. Request pdf seed production and germination in birdwood grass cenchrus setigerus under hot arid conditions cazri 76 birdwood grass cenchrus setigerus vahl. Cenchrus ciliaris an overview sciencedirect topics. Linear, tapering to a fine point, glabrous or hairy. Native seed needs to be sourced locally yet contain ample genetic variation. The cell wall content of a forage and the digestibility of the cell wall determine to a large extent the digestibility of the forage. Cenchrus ciliaris can reproduce either vegetatively through rhizome or stolon production, or sexually by seed. The flowered spikelets fall when ripe, leaving no glumes. Cenchrus ciliaris pennisetum ciliare, commonly known as buffel grass, is a perennial bunchgrass that forms thick mats. Very palatable and nutritious to livestock, and withstands heavy grazing. Ayerza r 1980 effect of phosphate fertilizer on the seed production of buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris l. Seed can be hand picked or harvested mechanically with cereal harvesters or special grass seed harvesters.
Environmental cues for germination of the invasive bunch. Germination international seed testing association. There is some postharvest dormancy which may last several months. The results can also be downloaded as a csv file unicode utf8 encoding. Cenchrus echinatus, birdwood grass cenchrus setigerus and the spiny burrgrasses cenchrus incertus and cenchrus longispinus. Tufted, erect or decumbent and much branched from the base, stout or slender, leafy or ascending from a branched often nodose rootstock. Cover of cenchrus ciliaris can increase, and populations of associated firesusceptible species decrease in a fire regime. Numerous forms of buffel grass have been imported to australia from across its native range. Germination then occurs at temperatures above 20c and is perhaps greatest under fluctuating temperatures of 20 and 35c holm et al. Buffel grass has been widely introduced in the dry tropics and subtropics as a pasture grass, for erosion control and revegetation of. Cenchrus ciliaris has also been used as folk medicine for kidney pain, tumors, sores and wounds. Three promising genotypes cazri 75, cazri 2178 and cazri 2221 of buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris l. Enhancing buffel grass seed germination by acid treatment for. Buffel and birdwood grasses cenchrus ciliaris and c.
Pyricularia grisea is a highly variable pathogen and differential responses have been found to occur, with some varieties of cenchrus ciliaris being resistant to the various races of the pathogen. Eleven have been registered as cultivars in australia. Assuming an average of two seed per bur, plants produced approximately 3,000, 49,000, 5,000, and 40 seed per plant from may, june, july, and august plantings in 1986, respectively time of emergence and seed production of longspine sandbur cenchrus longispinus and puncturevine tribulus terrestris. Botanical name cenchrus ciliaris type subtropical, grass production period perennial, summer morphological description tufted tussockforming, grows up to 0. Agronomy guidelines for the establishment and management of sown pastures. The growth form makes this species ideal for soil cover and erosion control. Cenchrus ciliaris buffelgrass this plant and synonym italicized and indented above can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below. May 28, 2016 responses of seed germination to air temperature, water potential, light, and smoke were studied in the laboratory for seeds of the invasive bunch grass pennisetum ciliare l. Pseudogamous apomict pollination necessary for endosperm formation and seed set. Agronomy journal abstract nutritive value estimates in. Cenchrus ciliaris is a grass native to southern asia and much of africa.
Buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris is one of the preferred species for revegetation of railway embankment steep slopes batters in central queensland, australia. The atlas of florida plants provides a source of information for the distribution of plants within the state and taxonomic information. Forage production on both the reseededtreated and untreated areas was measured in 2007 at the. It can be used as anodyne pain reliever, lactogogue increase milk flow, and diuretic and as an emollient duke 1983. It is cultivated in punjab and south india for fodder. Biloela seed production when row spacing of 75cm and 100 cm are used at ground cutting height with proper rates of nitrogen and phosphorus. Seed is not shed so readily as in some other tropical grasses so production and harvesting are somewhat easier. Buffel grass is a highly variable, tufted tussockforming perennial grass ecoport, 2010. Blue buffalo grass cenchrus ciliaris blue buffalograss is a summer growing perennial forage crop. It is one of the most popular cultivated pastures, especially in the more arid parts, with many commercially available cultivars. This page provides a summary of the plants value for pastoralism.
Response of genotypes to cutting management for seed yield in. Warm season, longlived, perennial bunchgrass adapted to welldrained sites. Establishment fresh seed often has high level of dormancy. However, strategies for bird scaring during dry period are highly emphasized from flowering stage to seed maturity 35 days to maximize seed yields. Buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris as an invader and threat to. It forms extensive dense monocultures excluding native species. Responses of seed germination to air temperature, water potential, light, and smoke were studied in the laboratory for seeds of the invasive bunch grass pennisetum ciliare l.
Other names by which this grass is known include dhaman grass, anjan grass, koluk katai and buffelgrass. Cenchrus ciliaris is a palatable species with a high leaf production. It is very important species for grazing cattle, and is. Buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris is of most concern on sandy soils and is often also weedy on alluvial flats and riverine sites. Seed yield and quality of buffel grass cenchrus ciliaris as influenced by row spacing and fertiliser level article pdf available in tropical grasslands 392 june 2005 with 588 reads. It commonly escapes from plantings, especially into disturbed habitats, where it promotes a grassfire cycle. Outside its natural range, buffel grass can rapidly invade native vegetation, roadsides and urban landscapes, altering the wildfire regime and. Pastoral lessees and station managers can use this information to assess pasture condition and trend.
It has a deep, tough rootstock that may go as deep as 2 m. This document was originally published on the website of the. The website also provides access to a database and images of herbarium specimens found at the university of south florida and other herbaria. Sandbur control in corn cein4 north dakota state cooperative extension. On the other hand, seeds from plantago coronopus plants grown under long days germinated to higher percentages than those from plants grown under short days shemtov.
Cenchrus longispinus risk california invasive plant council. In 200506, a 911 ha area was reseeded with cenchrus ciliaris dhamanbuffel grass. Seed production and germination in birdwood grass cenchrus. Fl i d i tiflowering and germination physiology on c4.