Urochloa eminii, commonly known as Congo grass, is a species of forage crop in the family Poaceae that is grown throughout the humid tropics. With fast growth at the beginning of the wet season due to strong seedling vigour, ease of establishment, good seed production and yield and the ability to suppress weeds it has the ability to become developed into the most important forage crop planted in the tropics. With the aid of genomic tools to research the genotype and gain more information there is the ability to increase breeding programs which are currently rather limited.
Description
Urochloa eminii is a tufted grass, that grows as a creeping perennial with short rhizomes that form a dense leafy cover over the ground. Stems of the plant arise from many-noded creeping shoots and short rhizomes and then when fully grown reach a height of 1.5 m when flowering. The leaves of this grass are soft but hairy, with an average width of 15mm, length of 25mm and a seed weight of 250,000/kg. The seeds should be drilled into a well prepared seed bed, sowing in rows that are spaced 60 cm apart and it can be grazed upon as soon as it is ready.
History, geography and ethnography
Urochloa eminii has numerous common names that it is known by throughout the world including Congo grass, Congo signal, Congo signal grass, Chinese cabbage, Kennedy ruzi, Kennedy ruzigrass, prostrate signal grass, ruzi, ruzigrass, and ruzi grass.
Native to Burundi, Rwanda and eastern DR Congo, from which it derives its common name, this forage crop has now been naturalised throughout the humid tropics. Four Brachiaria species now cover as much as 85% of the cultivated pastures of Brazil.
Growing conditions
Congo grass can be established from seed which is inexpensive although it needs to be stored for six months after harvest. Alternatively the grass can be established vegetatively from stem cuttings with root nodes. It requires light soils with moderately to high fertility though it does not tolerate strongly acidic conditions and performs...
