Rhodes Grass
Rhodes Grass scientific name is Chloris gayana and it is a type of wild grass growing in summer , whose runners provide the soil cover to control the erosion. It is the best tropical grass widespread in different tropical and sub tropical countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Rhodes grass is a best use as forage crop and hay and is very productive. In case of its quality it is important to know that at the time of its young stage it is very beneficial and have a high quality percentage. Pakistan exports the high quality Rhodes grass which is very useful, ultimately which increases the quality Rhodes grass cultivation in Pakistan and also increase the yield per acre in our country. Pakistan Rhodes grass exporters are becoming one the largest exporters of the world. It all depends on the quality of Rhodes grass which is one of the best quality in Pakistan as compared to the other countries in the world.
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| Rhodes grass |
Sowing
As we know that this is a summer growing crop and its sowing time is from the month of October to late February. The farmers are guided to connect with the meteorological departments to make themselves aware with the information and data regarding rainfall and moisture contents specially in mild summer (January and February) when there is more chances of receiving rainfall and high moisture contents which leads to the success.
A seed bed is prepared after the operation of weed control with the help of tractor in controlled soil moisture condition and nitrogen accumulation. The pasture improvement will be in favor if the moisture contents of the sub soil will be conserved and this condition is good for sowing. According to the soil depth the preference will be 40cm of wet soil under the seed bed.
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| Rhodes grass condition |
Seed is required for the Rhodes grass cultivation is 1 to 2 kg and in case of irrigated pasture, the seed rate must be 3 to 5 kg.
Legumes for Rhodes grass pasture
Most of the people still have the ancient techniques of sowing pasture like in forest, woodland and like on the lower fertility land. So, with the new techniques of sowing pasture with legumes will add up the nitrogen to the pasture, help in improving the pasture quality and specially there is no harm of soil fertility and soil health as it improves the fertility of soil.
Suitable legumes are;
serradella (5kg/ha podded seed) on the acid sandy soil (solodic soils).
lucerne (1 - 1.5kg/ha) and medics (2-4 kg/ha) on neutral to alkaline clay soil.
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| Legumes Rhodes grass interculture |
Sowing Method and Depth
Seed should be applied on the dry seed bed surface with the help of precision planters (shallow drilled into seed bed). The planter should be fitted with press wheels to consolidate the rows. The small seed should be applied and covered to the depth of 5mm of soil. The press wheels firms the seed bed soil around the seed and there should be more careful in case of harrowing after sowing because the small pasture seed could be buried by more than 5mm of soil depth and the shoot might have less or no energy to germinate or establish. The sandy loam soils contains good pastures which have good results from broadcasting seed into standing stubbles (like oats or wheat) followed by grazing. The animals press the seed into the surface of the soil.
The Rhodes grass seed mixed with the pallets or mixed with the carrier like with the superphosphate which start at 10 kg of superphosphate /1 kg of pasture seed and increase the supper if bridging still exists, superphosphate allows or applied to the seed bed with the fertilizer and seed combine. Combine the seed and fertilizer for the one day, the long time contact of seed may kill the seed. Sieve the dry sawdust (two times the volume of sawdust and one of the seed) may also be used as a carrier.
Varieties
Following varieties are discussed below which are somehow and more are good for obtaining good pasture;
Katambora
Its flowering is later than the Pioneer Rhodes grass and that is why it remains more leafy and is more productive in autumn season. It also have finer leaves and is more stoloniferous.
Pioneer
It is also known as commercial Rhodes grass and it has an early flowering stage and normal leafiness which helps in improving its erectness. Its flowering stage is a quick stage throughout the growing season, its feed quality is not good enough which drops quickly. Pioneer has been superseded by Katambora.
Callide
Its flowering is late than then the Katambora and it is less cold tolerant and it requires high rainfall than both Pioneer and Katambora. Callide is more productive and palatable than both the varieties pioneer and katambora under the condition of higher fertility.
Finecut
Finecut variety has fine leaves , early flowering and uniform maturity and also high yield variety. On all these specifications this variety has been selected for its improved grazing qualities. It was derieved from katambora.
Topcut
It is also selected on the basis of high improvement hay making qualities and is derived from pioneer. Topcut also has fine leaves and stem, early flowering, uniform maturity and also gives high yield.
Fertilizer Plan
Fallow land before the crop planting will providing good quantity of nitrogen for the establishing grass, but MAP 100 kilogram per hectare should be applied on poor soils or to the rainfed areas.
Legumes cultivation is the best component will be the best source of nitrogen for the grass in pasture dryland. Superphosphate at the time of sowing 150 kilogram per hectare and maintenance of superphosphate every two to three years, preferably in wet seasons is required for the promotion of legumes growth.
Seed Production
In Rhodes grass, seed crops can be direct headed or swathed and the harvesting should be at the time when the seed drop out starts from the tip of the seed heads.
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