elephant grass buffalo grass Elephant Grass seed

Name: Elephant Grass seed , buffalo grass

Family: Poaceae

Botanical name: Pennisetum purpureum

Category: Forage crops seed

Common names: Napier grass, Elephant grass

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What is the elephant grass (buffalo grass) ?

Elephant grass (buffalo grass) is a long lasting tropical plant. It also called Pennisetum purpureum, Napier grass or Uganda grass. Its native region is the grasslands of Africa.

Elephant grass (buffalo grass) needs small amounts of water and nutrition. So, it can be planted in uncultivated lands. In ancient ages, grazing has depended on the wild elephant grass. And lately, it is used for Pest Control.

Elephant grass (buffalo grass) is one of the pulling crops which entice insects, such as stemborer moths, far from the plants. So it helps to protect plants as well as it costs reasonable price.

Elephant grasses (buffalo grass) works on soil fertilization and fights corrosion. It is also used in the production of firebreaks, windbreaks, paper pulp, bio-oil, biogas and charcoal.

The biomass production of elephant grass is very high. It grows fast. It can produce crop 4-6 times a year. Its yearly production reaches around 40 tons.

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What is the Strategy of Push Pull Pest Management?

It is a method of fighting harmful pest such as stemborers and larvae by pushing or pulling them.

Studies discovered that Stemborers damage about 10% of crop production in Southern and Eastern Africa and about 14-15% in sub-Saharan Africa. And Larvae prevent the growth of maize and sorghum by eating the inner part of their stems.

It is difficult to fight stemborers and larvae by insecticide where it does not eliminate stemborers completely and cannot reach to the inner part of stem to kill the larvae. Also insecticide is very expensive and leaves chemical effects on food.

The strategy of Push-Pull works to change the place of biological evolution of pests to draw them away from crops.

Elephant grass “as a pull plant” was combined with desmodium “as a push plant” and planted around the plot of sorghum or corn to repel pests that looking for place to lay eggs. This combination also helps to increase the fertilization of soil.

In Kenya, Scientists have discovered that the application of Pull-Push strategy decreased the damages of Striga by 89% and improved the soil fertility by 83%. It eliminated about 52% of stemborer. As a result, it improved the production of crops and saved about 7 billion US dollars of losses.

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What are the uses of elephant grass?

In East Africa, Elephant grass is commonly used as fodder for cattle and buffaloes in dairy farms. As it also used for feeding elephants so that it is called Elephant grass.
Elephant grass helps to increase livestock products in dry lands. Because it needs little water and nutrients.
Elephant grass helps to improve African landscapes. It works to increase the fertility of soil and fight erosion of soil, fire and wind.
Elephant grass helps to increase the production of energy crop by fertilizing the non-arable land which is appropriate for these crops.
Elephant grass helps to produce fuel.
We can use the leaves and shoots of elephant grass for cooking soups and stews.

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