Khabal grass, or Bermuda grass, is a highly variable perennial grass that spreads rapidly through stolons and rhizomes. It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, where it can tolerate a range of climates and soils. The document discusses the taxonomy, cultivation, varieties, morphology, nutritional attributes, distribution, reproduction, and disadvantages of Khabal grass. It provides details on its growth, uses as forage, and potential toxicity issues under certain conditions.

1. KHABAL GRASS
Presented by
M.Sarmad Anwaar
16-Arid-3159

2. We will discuss about
 Taxonomy Of Khabbal Grass.
 Cultivation
 Varieties
 Morphology
 Nutritional Attributes
 Distribution
 Reproduction
 Side Effects

3. Scientific name
 Cynodon dactylon
Family:
 Poaceae
Subfamily
 Cynodonteae
Common names
Bermuda grass (English - USA)
Khabal grass or Talla (Pakistan)
Couch grass, green couch (Australia)
dhoub grass (Bangladesh)

4. Cultivation
 Sowing methods
 It is usually sown as turfs or as seed for lawns
 Coastal Bermuda Grass' is sown by seed or, more often, with
sprigs AS it produces few viable seeds.
 Sow in summer and seed rate is used 9-11 kg/ha.

5. Varieties and Yield
 Productivity depends on the cultivar used,
the time of year and the amount of nitrogen available.
 DM yields of 1,000-3,000 kg/ha per month are possible in
summer and 100-1,200 kg/ha in winter.
 Annual DM yields are generally of the order of 5-15 t/ha
1 Common Bermuda grass
2 Giant Bermuda grass.

6. Morphological
 Bermuda grass is a highly variable, hardy, longlived
perennial grass, and one of the most usedwarm-season
forages in the world
 A variable perennial, creeping by means of stolons
and rhizomes.
 Eight to 40 culms.
 leaves hairy or glabrous.
 Three to seven spikes (rarely two)
 usually 3-6 cm long and in one whorl
 Bermuda grass densely roots at the nodes

7.  The root system mostly develops within 0-25 cm
depth but can go as deep as 70-80 cm in sandy soils.
 Creeping stolons spread rapidly and may be as long as
20 m, but are generally 0.5- 1.5 m.
 Leaf blades are blue green, 2-20 cm long, and 2-6 mm
wide

8. Nutritional attributes
 Khabal grass is considered a medium quality forage.
 Typical chemical composition of fresh khabal grass is 9-16%
protein,(3 to 9% in old grass,to about 20% in young) 45-85 %
NDF and 20-45% ADF (DM basis).Ash content is 11.56%.TDN
value of dehydrated grass is 62% of total % DM.
 Mineral profile is
 1) Ca(1.6%) 2) P(0.22%) 3) Mg(0.34%)

9. Distribution
 Bermuda grass is thought to have
originated around the Indian Ocean
Basin,from East Africa to India.
 It was introduced to all tropical and
subtropical areas. It is found as far as 50°N
in Europe and down to 37° in the southern
hemisphere.
 Bermuda grass can be found at high
altitudes: up to 2600 m in the tropics, and
4000 m in the Himalayas

10.  It usually occurs over a range of 625-1750
mm of annual rainfall.
 The rhizomes survive drought well. Coastal
Bermuda grass has proved very drought
resistant in Georgia, United States.
 Here are varieties adapted for a wide range of
soils.
 Coastal Bermuda prefers well- drained,
fertile soils, especially heavier clay and silt
soils not subject to flooding, well supplied
with lime and high-nitrogen mixed fertilizers

11. Soil and Temperature
 It is dominant in uncultivated areas roadsides, sea-coast
sandy dunes, or along rivers and irrigated land.
 Adapted over a broad range of soil pH (4.5-8.5), but grows
best when the pH is above 5.5. Good tolerant of salinity, but
makes only slow growth under saline conditions.
 Temperatures above 24°C or over an optimal
range of 17-35°C is best.
 Sensitive to shade and may die under medium and dense
shade.

12. Reproductive development
 Flowers throughout the growing season.
 Wind pollinated.
 C. dactylon spreads quickly by rhizomes and stolons, and less
obviously by seeds.
 It can spread over 2 m/month during the growing season, a
single plant forming a dense sward up to 25 m across in 2.5
years.
 Declared weed in over 80 countries
 Outstanding spreading ability, the stolons
being able to grow more than 7.5 cm/day

14. Advantages
 Adapted to a wide range soils and climate.
 More Palatable.
 Nutritive value is high while young.
 Excellent ground cover for soil conservation .
 It can tolerate heavy grazing.
 Makes useful hay and silage .
 Tolerant of salinity.
 Tolerant of flooding.
Limitations
 Low production unless well fertilized.
 Can become a weed in cultivation.
 Difficult to eradicate

15. Disadvantages
 Cyanide poisoning:-
 Cases of HCN poisoning have been recorded in animals having
grazed Khabal grass stands too shortly after N fertilizer
application.
 Oxalates:-
Though oxalate content may exceed 1% DM, no symptoms of
toxicity have been described yet now.
 Photosensitization:-Some cases of photosensitization have
occurred in cattle grazing frost-damaged khabal grass