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Cenchrus pennisetiformis Hochst. and Steud. ex Steud. |
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Graminae Cloncurry, white, or slender buffel grass (Australia). In Cenchrus pennisetiformis the inner bristles are glabrous, connate for 1-3 mm from the base; flat and rigid throughout. It is a tufted perennial up to 60 cm high (Harker & Napper, 1960). It has paler involucres (Gardner, 1952) and wider spacing of the spikelets on the rachis (Humphreys, 1978) than C. ciliaris. Mediterranean region to the hotter and drier parts of India, Burma, Sri Lanka and north-east Africa. Summer. Sea-level to 300 m in Queensland. It is adapted to arid conditions with an annual rainfall of 250 mm or less in Kenya (Bogdan & Pratt, 1967). In north-west Queensland it has spread mostly into the 370-560 mm annual rainfall regime with a summer maximum (Hall, 1978). Excellent. It remains green during the dry season in India and cattle eat it avidly (Bor, 1960). It established along fertile river alluvium in north-west Queensland but has since spread across frontage woodlands to stony, undulating country. It does not spread on to heavy cracking clays but does prefer high phosphorus and calcium soils of alkaline reaction. In Kenya it grows on sandy soils, loams and alluvial silts (Bogdan & Pratt, 1967). In Queensland it spreads naturally by seed along the banks of watercourses where soil phosphorus levels are higher than surrounding land and the soil surface of a lighter texture, mostly in above-average seasons. It is now gradually spreading into poorer soils.Land preparation for establishment Minimum land preparation should be some soil disturbance with a disc cultivator or a rigid tine implement in strips across the range. It has normally been broadcast on top of a single light cultivation and around large trees, edges of roads and cattle tracks. It is surface-sown and covered lightly with harrows or bushes dragged over the area, or left uncovered. It is best planted just ahead of the expected wet season at 0.75-3 kg/ha according to seed supply. About 400 000 (Bogdan & Pratt, 1967) of pure seed. Dormancy. It would appear to have some post-harvest dormancy.Seed treatment before planting It may be necessary to treat the seed with a deterrent against seed-harvesting ants, such as lindane dust. Very good.Vigour of growth and growth rhythm It begins growth ahead of native perennials such as Chrysopogon fallax, Dichanthium and Bothriochloa spp. It will stand heavy grazing. On the large ranches on which it is established in north-west Queensland it is not usually managed. It is most useful when stocked early in the growing season, allowed to seed, and then stocked again to help spread the seed by trampling and adherence to animals' coats. It recovers well from fire.Value as a standover or deferred feed It is excellent as standover feed in the areas where it grows. No toxicity has been reported. There are no major diseases of this grass. Its ability to colonize the banks of streams in the dry tropics, its palatability compared with most other grasses, and its persistence. It does not grow on heavy cracking clays and stony ridges colonized by Aristida contorta and Enneapogon polyphyllus in north-west Queensland (Hall, 1978).Optimum temperature for growth It grows in hotter areas than C. ciliaris (average temperature range: 10-30°C) in Queensland, Australia and Kenya. Its natural habitat is relatively frost free. Probably 10°N and 20°S latitudes (Kenya and northern Queensland).v It will grow in partial shade along river banks and under larger trees, as well as in open country. Good. It gradually occupies the whole area and weed competition is not great in the arid and semi-arid areas. There are no major pests. The stems are soft and the whole herbage is well grazed.Chemical analysis and digestibility No analyses have been found. It will survive seasonal flooding. It appears to spread more rapidly on the alluvia of streams where the phosphorus status is higher in north-west Queensland. It does not appear to be sensitive to potassium. It also grows around the bases of trees of Eucalyptus spp. where fertility is higher.Compatibility with other grasses and legumes It usually grows as a monospecific sward when established. 2n=35, 42, 54 (Fedorov, 1974).Seed production and harvesting It seeds heavily and has mostly been hand picked. A buffer seed harvester should perform the operation in areas where it can manoeuvre. The "seed" is a cluster of spikelets surrounded by hairy bristles. This grass is currently the only introduced pasture grass with the ability to increase carrying capacity and stabilize beef cattle numbers in the Mt Isa highlands region of north-west Queensland (Hall, 1978). There are some 860 000 ha of grazing country containing large, dense areas of Cloncurry buffer grass along the main river and creek frontages surrounding Cloncurry, north-west Queensland (Hall, 1978).
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