Family: Poaceae

Synonyms: Cynosurus indicus L., Eleusine gracilis Salisb., Cynodon indicus Rasp., Chloris repens Steud.

Common names: goosegrass, wiregrass, bullgrass, fowlfoot grass, pata de gallina, chiendent, patte de poule, pied de poule.

An annual tufted grass, stem erect or decumbent at base, up to 80 cm tall. Leaf blade 10-30 cm long, sheath 6-9 cm long, flattened, laterally, with a few long hairs at the junction with the blade. The inflorescence is a whorl of 3-6 spikes, spikeletes numerous, sessile and awnless. The seeds are reddish-brown, up to 1.5 mm long.

There are two sub species of E. indica:

- ssp indica, diploid (2n=18)

- ssp africana, tetraploid (2n=36). This is normally larger than the above sub- species.

E. indica is a C4 plant, which grows well in hot areas. E, indica also tolerates well dry conditions. It is found in crop areas and waste places. E. indica reproduces via its seeds

E. indica is normally eliminated by current cultural procedures and land preparation. It is also well controlled by several selective herbicides, such as dinitroanilines, amides, fop and dim graminicides, and others.

However, cases of herbicide resistance have been reported and documented in several countries. Resistant biotypes to trifluralin have been found in cotton in USA (1973), to imazapyr in industrial sites in Costa Rica (1989), to fluazifop (1990) and to paraquat, both in Malaysia, in vegetables (1990).

E. indica prevails in a wide range of crops, such as vegetables, legumes, cotton, sugar cane, citrus, and others. Due to its tolerance to drought, it is also found in waste areas. Widely distributed in tropical and sub-tropical countries. It is found in several annual and perennial crops. is normally eliminated by current cultural procedures and land preparation. It is also well controlled by several selective herbicides, such as dinitroanilines, amides, fop and dim graminicides, and others.

Countries: Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Congo (Democratic), Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Eritrea, India, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Rrwanda, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam

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