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''Chloris gayana'' is a species of grass known by the common name Rhodes grass. It is native to Africa but it can be found throughout the tropical and subtropical world as a naturalized species. It can grow in many types of habitat. It is also cultivated in some areas as a palatable graze for animals and a groundcover to reduce erosion and quickly revegetate denuded soil.〔(Tropical Forages )〕 It is tolerant of moderately saline and alkaline soils and irrigation.〔(Purdue Horticulture )〕 ==Description== This is a perennial grass which can reach one half to nearly three meters in height and spreads via stolons. It forms tufts and can spread into wide monotypic stands. The inflorescence is a single or double whorl of fingerlike racemes up to 15 centimeters long. Each spikelet in the raceme is a few millimeters long and contains one or two fertile florets and up to four sterile florets. ==Growing Conditions== Its seasonal growth is in the spring and summer and its rainfall requirement is 600-750 mm per year.〔() Chloris gayana, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations〕 This low rainfall requirement means that this grass can survive in drier places. Rhodes grass can grow in a variety of soil conditions.〔 Suttie, J.M., (2000), Hay and Straw Conservation - for small scale farming and pastoral conditions: chapter V: hay crops - cereals and grasses, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/x7660e/x7660e09.htm〕 Its ideal soil would be anything greater than a 4.3 pH level in terms of acidity.〔 Moore, G. and Wiley, T. (2006), Perennial pastures for western Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/past/rhodes%20grass.pdf〕 In addition to this, Cholris gayana has a moderate aluminum tolerance.〔 Moore, G. and Wiley, T. (2006), Perennial pastures for western Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/past/rhodes%20grass.pdf〕 The fact that this type of grass survives on little rainfall, can grow in low pH soils, and has a moderate tolerance to aluminum means that it may be beneficial to poor farmers in the sub-tropis. Less work is required to maintain this grass which means that the farmers can focus on other priorities. It is also beneficial to farmers who own land with poor soil. Benefits from Chloris gayana can also be found in the plant's growth. The "seed germinates quickly (1-7 days) depending on temperature."〔 Moore, G. and Wiley, T. (2006), Perennial pastures for western Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/past/rhodes%20grass.pdf, p. 1-3〕 In addition to this, it "often achieves full ground cover within three months of sowing."〔 Moore, G. and Wiley, T. (2006), Perennial pastures for western Australia, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/objtwr/imported_assets/content/past/rhodes%20grass.pdf〕 This too is good for farmers when it comes to covering bare soil. The fact that Chloris gayana can grow quickly means that farmers could use it to protect the soil from eroding. ==Stress Tolerance== An important feature of Chloris gayana is its drought tolerance. It is "widely grown in drought prone regions".〔 Ponsens, J., Hanson,J., Schellberg, J., and Moeseler, B.M. (2010), Characterization of phenotypic diversity, yield and response to drought stress in a collection of Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana Kunth) accessions, ''Field Crop Research'', vol. 18 no. 1, http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/tmp/16785625838293707205.pdf, p. 57-72〕 The reason why it is drought tolerant can be found in its roots. Chloris gayana roots are able to extract water at a depth of 4.25 meters.〔() Chloris gayana, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations〕 Since this grass has good drought tolerance, it could also be beneficial to farmers for ensuring livestock are fed in times of drought. Another important feature of Chloris gayana can be found in its salt tolerance. In terms of grass species, this type appears to be one of "the most salt-tolerant species"〔 Deifel, Kurt S., Kopittke, Peter M., and Menzies, Neal W. (2006), Growth Response of Various Perennial Grasses to Increasing Salinity, ''Journal of Plant Nutrition'', vol. 29 no. 9, http://journals2.scholarsportal.info/tmp/12783192141848099688.pdf p. 1573-1584〕 in terms of grasses. In "saline conditions, plant growth is restricted".〔 Deifel, Kurt S., Kopittke, Peter M., and Menzies, Neal W. (2006), Growth Response of Various Perennial Grasses to Increasing Salinity, ''Journal of Plant Nutrition'', vol. 29 no. 9, http://journals2.scholarsportal.info/tmp/12783192141848099688.pdf p. 1573-1584〕 Since Chloris gayana shows good salt tolerance, this type of grass can be beneficial to farmers who have salinity problems in their soil. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chloris gayana」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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