Andropogon gayanus

Gamba grass

Tall perennial tussock grass with stems up to 2 m high that grows on a variety of soils in areas 600-1100 mm of rain and 5- to 6-month dry season. Tolerates low fertility, but not waterlogging or over-grazing. Palatable and nutritious when young, but produces numerous hard and unpalatable flowering stems which should be removed by burning or mowing. Frequent burning tends to suppress this grass, and it is replaced by less useful species. Can stay green long into the dry season. Propagated vegetatively through splitting tillers or through seeding. Can be grown with Centrosema pubescens or Stylosanthes gracilis. One of the high-yielding grasses in West Africa.