Additions to the Grasses (Poaceae) of Andhra Pradesh, India

Digitaria violascens Link and Urochloa glumaris (Trin.) Veldkamp are good fodder grass species are reported here as additions to the Flora of Andhra Pradesh from Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India. The detailed description and colour plates are provided for easy identification.

Echinochloa pyramidalis.

E. pyramidalis, a perennial grass, has decidedly invasive characteristics with its vigorous shoot and rhizome growth and abundant seed production. As an aquatic, it also has the potential to be very damaging to sensitive aquatic habitats. Holm et al. (1979) record it as a major weed in its native area in Nigeria, Swaziland, Sudan and Madagascar. In Guyana, after being introduced and cultivated for some years, it was noticed as a weed in sugar cane in 1982 and increased rapidly to become one of the most troublesome weeds in the aquatic system of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (Bishundial et al., 1997). In Mexico, again after introduction as a fodder grass, it has become widely invasive in wetlands, tending to reduce native wetland species (López Rosas et al., 2010). Apart from its competitive growth, Wells et al. (1986) note its tendency to obstruct water flow. For the USA it is highly ranked as a potential invasive weed of the future (Parker et al., 2007) and it has been identified as a species 'not authorized (for introduction) pending pest risk analysis' (NAPPRA) (USDA-APHIS, 2012).

Variability of Selected Traits in Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) Plants with Different Susceptibility to Seed Shattering

In meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.), a perennial fodder grass plant characterized by high quality and yield potential, seed shattering makes seed production difficult. The objective of the research was to compare two subpopulations, differing in a tendency to seed shattering, with respect to their variability in the beginning of the heading and flowering stages, their morphological traits (plant height and panicle length), and changes occurring at the site of the bonding between the caryopsis and the pedicel. The subpopulations were obtained by divergent selection carried out on four meadow fescue cultivars. Significant variability in years and subpopulations in respect of the tested traits was found. The subpopulation with a low tendency to seed shattering was characterized by a 2–3 day delay in the beginning of the heading and flowering stages. However, in both the subpopulations, a good flowering stage synchronization was found, with its variability being several times smaller when compared with the heading stage. Between the starting dates of these stages, a significant correlation was found (r = 0.828; p < 0.01). The clones with a high tendency of seed shattering were approximately 7 cm shorter, while the length of panicles was similar in both the subpopulations. The analysis, which was performed with the use of a scanning microscope, showed that, in genotypes with a low tendency to shattering, the formation of the abscission layer was four days late, which may confirm the effectiveness of the carried out selection.

Eragrostis japonica (pond lovegrass).

E. japonica is a good fodder grass cultivated for pasture in tropical and subtropical regions (Kumar, 2013; USDA-ARS, 2016). It has escaped from cultivation and naturalized principally in disturbed sites. This species behaves as a weed in abandoned pastures, cultivated land, disturbed sites, waste areas, and along roadsides and riparian areas (Barkworth et al., 2004; Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2016; PIER, 2016; PROTA, 2016). Currently, it is listed as invasive in Argentina, Brazil, and Cuba (Zuloaga et al., 2008; Oviedo Prieto et al., 2012; I3N-Brasil, 2016). It is well adapted to grow in seasonally waterlogged conditions and can be found growing in floodplain grassland and swampy grassland (Flora of Pakistan, 2016).

TATA RUANG AGROFORESTRY LAHAN KAMPUS II POLITEKNIK PERTANIAN NEGERI PAYAKUMBUH JORONG BATU KABAU NAGARI SITANANG

Land management with an agroforestry system aims to maintain the amount and diversity of land production, so that it has the potential to provide social, economic and environmental benefits (Senoadji, 2012). In the concept of agroforestry spatial planning on campus land II Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic is quite possible to be implemented by collaborating between current agricultural activities with standing trees (forests) that are beneficial to ecology and sustainability, comforting the surrounding environment. From the results of the study obtained five plant and fisheries species composition in the land of Campus II Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic, namely estate crops (rubber, sugar cane), fruit trees (guava, matoa, mango, orange), food plants (lowland rice) ), fodder grass (elephant grass) and fisheries (tilapia, tilapia fish and carp). Two agroforestry systems that can be applied for soil and water conservation on the land of Campus II Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic, namely Agrisilvikultur and Agrosilvofishery, which are respectively: 62,770 M ^ 2 and 12,128 M ^ 2.

Effects of shade on guinea grass genotypes Megathyrsus maximus (Poales: Poaceae)

Introduction: Light stress is an important factor limiting the biomass yield while combining forage production with crops or forestry. Guinea grass is a widely adapted perennial fodder grass. The species exhibits high degree of variation for morphology, adaptation and biomass yield. Objective: Since there is a need in identifying shade adapted forage grasses for the expanding area under agroforestry/silvipastures, the present investigation took the task of understanding how the morphologically distinct genotypes of guinea grass respond under different shaded intensities. Methods: In the present study, forty-four genotypes related with the shade response were studied in varying shading conditions (pure sunlight, 25, 50 and 75 % shade) created artificially. Results: Based on green and dry matter yields ranking, the genotype IG 01-98 performed the best followed by genotypes IG 01-92, IG 97-5, IG 97-6 and IG 01-89 in decreasing order. Particularly, IG 01-93 was identified as the best performing under 50 % shading conditions. On the other hand, most of the top ranking genotypes performed well both under open and up to 50 % of shade. Morphologically, these genotypes were taller and possessed longer and broader leaves. Under shaded conditions (over 50 %), leaf length and width showed an increasing trend compared to open conditions. Also, chlorophyll content increased with shading intensity. Conclusions: Most of the genotypes collected from the southern Indian humid tropical environment with early flowering nature were tolerant to shade. Differential genotypic response was observed for biomass yield and yield attributes under shade. The study established appreciable variability for shade tolerance among genotypes