Typical yield
26.7 t/ha
Varieties
2
Pest/Disease
7
Seasons
3
Profile
- Growth habit
- annual
- Lifecycle (days)
- 60–110
- Primary uses
- Forage (grazing, green chop, hay); cover crop; silage
- Pollination
- wind
- Origin / distribution
- Warm-season grass; grown in tropics/subtropics and warm temperate zones
Environment
Climate
Temp optimal
24–34 °C
Rain optimal
450–800 mm/yr
Altitude
0–1800 m
Soil
pH optimal
6–7.2
Soil type
Well-drained loam/sandy loam; tolerates light soils
Farmer Guide
Row spacing
30 cm
Plant spacing
10 cm
Depth
2.5 cm
Seed rate
20 kg/ha
Nursery days
Planting: Sow into warm, moist seedbed after onset of rains or with irrigation; roll/firm for good contact.
Transplanting: Not transplanted.
Irrigation: Drought-tolerant but highest yields with timely moisture; avoid saturation.
Fertigation: Grasses respond to N; split N 2–3 times; ensure K and S for regrowth.
Pest scouting: Scout early for shoot fly/armyworms and leaf diseases; manage weeds aggressively in first 4–6 weeks.
Pruning/Training: Not applicable; manage by cutting height and intervals.
Harvest: First cut at 45–60 DAS (50–70 cm height) or early boot; leave 10–15 cm stubble for regrowth.
Postharvest: For hay, wilt rapidly to safe moisture; for silage, chop at 30–35% DM; avoid nitrate/prussic acid risks.
Nutrient Schedule
| # | Stage | DAP | Product | Rate | Targets (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basal | 0 | NPK 17-17-17 | 100 kg/ha | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Place below/aside seed to avoid burn |
| 2 | Tillering topdress | 25 | Urea 46% N or CAN 26% N | 80 kg/ha | N: 40, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Irrigate or apply before rain |
| 3 | After 1st cut | 55 | Urea 46% N + MOP (KCl) | 80 kg/ha (urea) + 60 kg/ha MOP | N: 40, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: 30 | Broadcast evenly on moist soil |
Nutrient Requirements
| Nutrient | Stage | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Basal | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Basal | 25 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Basal | 40 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress | 40 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress1 | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Topdress1 | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Topdress1 | 30 | kg/ha |
| N | After_cut | 40 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | After_cut | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | After_cut | 30 | kg/ha |
Images
| Name | Country | Maturity | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Sudan grass | KE | 70 | Rapid regrowth; multi-cut |
| Piper type | TZ | 75 | Fine stems; good hay |
| Stage | Product | Rate (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basal | NPK 17-17-17 | 100 | |
| Topdress | Urea 46% N (or CAN) | 80 | Split after emergence and after cuts |
| After cut | MOP (KCl) | 60 | Supports regrowth and stand persistence |
| Name | Type | Symptoms | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorghum midge | pest | Poor seed set | Early planting; tolerant types |
| Armyworms/cutworms | pest | Defoliation; stand loss | Early scouting; baits/controls if thresholds exceeded |
| Shoot fly | pest | Deadhearts in seedlings | Timely sowing; seed treatment; replant gaps |
| Stem borers | pest | Tunneling; broken stems | Stubble management; rotations; biological controls |
| Leaf spot/rust | disease | Spots/pustules on leaves | Resistant lines; airflow; timely protectants if severe |
| Smut/ergot (sorghum) | disease | Black sori; sticky exudate | Clean seed; crop hygiene; rotation |
| Sorghum midge (in seed) | pest | Poor grain in seed production | Synchronize flowering; avoid volunteer hosts |
| System | Typical | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cut-and-carry | 30 | 15 | 50 | Fresh biomass |
| rainfed forage | 15 | 8 | 25 | Fresh biomass per cut; 2–3 cuts possible (site-dependent) |
| irrigated forage | 35 | 20 | 60 | Cumulative fresh biomass across multiple cuts |
| Country | Region | Planting | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| KE | Lowlands & mid-altitudes (long rains) | Mar–Apr | May–Sep |
| KE | Lowlands & mid-altitudes (short rains) | Oct–Nov | Dec–Apr |
| TZ | Central semi-arid (with showers/irrig.) | Dec–Jan | Feb–Jun |
| Country | Region | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Cool highlands (>2000 m) | Low |
| KE | Lowlands & mid-altitudes | High |
| KE | Lowlands/Semi-arid | High |
| TZ | Central semi-arid (irrigated) | High |
| UG | Dry savanna | Medium |