Napier
Napier Grass
Scientific name: Pennisetum purpureum
Family: Poaceae
Origin: Tropical grasslands of Africa
Botanical description: A robust perennial with a vigorous root system, sometimes stoloniferous with a creeping rhizome. Culms usually 180-360 cm high, branched upwards. Leaf-sheaths glabrous or with tubercle-based hairs; leaf-blades 20-40 mm wide, margins thickened and shiny. Inflorescence a bristly false spike up to 30 cm long, dense, usually yellow-brown in colour, more rarely purplish (Chippendall, 1955).
Important varieties:
• Var. merkeri (Merker grass): Similar to common elephant grass but has finer leaves and stems. It is cultivated widely in Puerto Rico and other West Indian areas. It is more drought resistant than common elephant grass but less productive and of lower feeding value (Whyte, Moir & Cooper, 1959). It is resistant to Helminthosporium sp. in Puerto Rico (Vicente-Chandler et al., 1953).
• Capricorn: Developed at Biloela Research Station, Queensland, for high rainfall areas receiving up to 2 500 mm/year. It is leafier, more palatable and later- flowering than the common type.
• Pusa Giant Napier: Performs well in Sri Lanka under good soil conditions, but is affected by Helminthosporium sp. (Pathirana & Siriwardene, 1973).
• Merkiron and Costa Rica 532: Used in Colombia.
• French Cameroons, Gold-Coast and Cameroons - In Africa.
• Chad is recommended by Prasad and Singh (1973) for cultivation under arid conditions in West Rajasthan, India.
Soil: Fertile loam with good drainage is best for its cultivation. It does not grow well in waterlogged and flood prone areas. Very good yields can be obtained from very deep fertile soil rich in organic matter and plant nutrients. It tolerates a pH range from 5 to 8. So loamy and sandy soils are very much preferred to heavy soils.
Climate: Napier grass grows throughout the year in the tropics and sub-tropics regions. It requires warm and moist climate. The temperature range between 15OC to 30°C
Scientific name: Pennisetum purpureum
Family: Poaceae
Origin: Tropical grasslands of Africa
Botanical description: A robust perennial with a vigorous root system, sometimes stoloniferous with a creeping rhizome. Culms usually 180-360 cm high, branched upwards. Leaf-sheaths glabrous or with tubercle-based hairs; leaf-blades 20-40 mm wide, margins thickened and shiny. Inflorescence a bristly false spike up to 30 cm long, dense, usually yellow-brown in colour, more rarely purplish (Chippendall, 1955).
Important varieties:
• Var. merkeri (Merker grass): Similar to common elephant grass but has finer leaves and stems. It is cultivated widely in Puerto Rico and other West Indian areas. It is more drought resistant than common elephant grass but less productive and of lower feeding value (Whyte, Moir & Cooper, 1959). It is resistant to Helminthosporium sp. in Puerto Rico (Vicente-Chandler et al., 1953).
• Capricorn: Developed at Biloela Research Station, Queensland, for high rainfall areas receiving up to 2 500 mm/year. It is leafier, more palatable and later- flowering than the common type.
• Pusa Giant Napier: Performs well in Sri Lanka under good soil conditions, but is affected by Helminthosporium sp. (Pathirana & Siriwardene, 1973).
• Merkiron and Costa Rica 532: Used in Colombia.
• French Cameroons, Gold-Coast and Cameroons - In Africa.
• Chad is recommended by Prasad and Singh (1973) for cultivation under arid conditions in West Rajasthan, India.
Soil: Fertile loam with good drainage is best for its cultivation. It does not grow well in waterlogged and flood prone areas. Very good yields can be obtained from very deep fertile soil rich in organic matter and plant nutrients. It tolerates a pH range from 5 to 8. So loamy and sandy soils are very much preferred to heavy soils.
Climate: Napier grass grows throughout the year in the tropics and sub-tropics regions. It requires warm and moist climate. The temperature range between 15OC to 30°C
References: http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/AGPC/doc/gbase/data/Pf000301.HTM http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/why-manage-plants/floridas-most-invasive-plants/napier-grass https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.inseda.org%2FAdditional%2520material%2FCD%2520-%2520Agriculture%2520and%2520Environment%2520Education%2F44-Forage%2520Crop%2520Production%2520(FCPS)%2FNapier%2520Grass-122.doc&ei=axMJUs_DLcfMrQe4y4DQDA&usg=AFQjCNF4lWkX90P6NKLxC5QHwQW2UBTS2g&sig2=thcDWXVbQnWMlrNv1kaV2Q&bvm=bv.50500085,d.bmk http://www.nafis.go.ke/fodders/napier-grass/