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Graminae
Common names
Angleton grass (Australia, Cuba), alabang X (the Philippines),
Angleton blue-stem (United States), wildergrass (Hawaii).
Description
A perennial with slender erect culms to 90 cm; nodes usually
bearded, two to four racemes, erect and rather close, pedunculate, first
glume of the spikelet not indurate (Henty, 1969). Stalks of the racemes
hairy, pedicellate spikelet usually male or bisexual, sometimes neuter,
but with both glumes well developed and often with lemmas (Tothill &
Hacker, 1973). Var. heteropogonoides produces stolons up to 3 m long in
the wet season and roots at the nodes - called alabang X in the Philippines
(Farinas, 1970).
Distribution
Originated in India and introduced into Australia, Africa and
America. Well distributed over the Philippines (Farinas, 1970).
Season of growth
Summer.
Rainfall requirements
It has a high water requirement and annual rainfall over 875
mm is recommended.
Drought tolerance
It is a very drought-resistant perennial (Farinas, 1970).
Soil requirements
It tolerates a wide range of soils.
Sowing methods
It has been broadcast into sorghum stubble in northern Queensland,
the cattle trampling in the seed as the sorghum is grazed, and it has been
successfully sown under a cover crop of oats, on the Darling Downs in Queensland,
on a well-prepared seed-bed. It is also propagated by runners, 30-45 cm
apart in rows 1 m apart (Archer & Bunch, 1953).
Seedling vigour
Excellent. It establishes easily.
Vigour of growth and growth
rhythm
It is a vigorous grass with a tendency to dominate and become
a weed in some areas.
Response to defoliation
It can stand heavy grazing along with its companion legume
S. humilis during the summer.
Grazing management
In order to maintain a high proportion of the associated legume,
S. humilis, it is necessary to graze it heavily during summer.
Dry-matter and green-matter
yields
It yields an average of 10 tonnes of hay per hectare in the
United States (Archer & Bunch, 1953).
Suitability for hay and
silage
It is cut for hay in the United States just before flowering.
Value as a standover or
deferred feed
Excellent.
Seed yield
75-150 kg/ha from one or two cuts per year, when irrigated
(Ferguson, 1979).
Cultivars
There are numerous ecotypes but no cultivars have been released.
Those ecotypes occurring naturally in the 600-750 mm rainfall zone in Queensland
appear to be poor producers, whereas those in higher rainfall areas up
to 1 800 mm have given good production in association with Stylosanthes
humilis (Onley & Sillar, 1965).
Minimum temperature for
growth
It makes slow growth during winter and spring.
Frost tolerance
It is not frost resistant, but is acceptable to stock after
frosting.
Maximum germination and
quality required for sale
Germinate at 20-30°C, moistened with water (Prodonoff,
1966).
Palatability
It is very palatable and is also acceptable to cattle after
it has seeded and matured (Onley & Sillar, 1965).
Response to photoperiod
Short days obligate (Evans, Wardlaw & Williams, 1964; Knox,
1967). There is a negative relationship between day length and percentage
apomixis (Knox, 1967).
Tolerance to flooding
Very good.
Fertilizer requirements
It has a very low phosphorus requirement, but does respond
to improved soil fertility.
Compatibility with other
grasses and legumes
In northern Queensland strip planted into Heteropogon contortus
pastures at about 20-m intervals, it invaded and nearly eliminated the
spear grass over a seven-year period. It combines well with Townsville
stylo (S. humilis) (Onley & Sillar, 1965).
Genetics and reproduction
2n=20, 40, 60 (Fedorov, 1974). It is a facultative apomict.
In day lengths of less than 13 hours reproduction is mostly apomictic,
while in longer days it becomes more than 50 percent sexual (Knox, 1967
quoted by Tothill, 1970).
Seed production and harvesting
It is a prolific seeder.
At Taranga, Bloomsbury, northern Queensland, the pasture is closed
in April and harvested for seed in May-June, by direct heading.
Economics
An excellent fodder grass, widely used in the Philippines.
At Lawes, Queensland, it provided excellent grazing over the short period
from February to April (autumn).
Animal production
At Taranga, Bloomsbury, even after heavy summer grazing a Townsville
stylo/Angleton grass pasture is capable of maintaining breeders in good
condition for the remainder of the year at a stocking rate of one beast
to 1.2 hectares.
Further reading
Onley & Sillar, 1965.
Tolerance to salinity
Highly salt tolerant.
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