Smuts Fingergrass Yield (T.Ha-1.Season-1) Based On SmithS (1994) Climatic Criteria

Native to southern Africa, Smuts Finger Grass (Digitaria eriantha) is an extremely variable tufted tropical perennial species with a compact knotty rhizome and with culms up to 1.0 m (and occasionally 1.4 m) tall (Tropical Forages, 2006). While adapted to a wide range of habitats, Smuts Finger Grass prefers a MAP of 600 - 800 mm (Smith, 1994). It is, however, a drought resistant species (Tropical Forages, 2006). It grows in the summer period March to October, best in climates where the MAT > 17 degree Celsius (Smith, 1994), but able to withstand cold winters with frosts (Tropical Forages, 2006).

Dry matter yield of Smuts Finger Grass may be estimated by Smith (1994) rule-based approach (cf. first shaded box) using the effective rainfall for the summer months October to March in conjunction with accumulated summer month heat units (base 10 degree Celsius), and assuming that base fertilizer levels have been brought up by addition of appropriate applications of phosphates (more on sandy than on loamy soils) and potassium (increasing amounts of K with higher applications of N) and that 150 kg nitrogen per ha has been applied in three equal dressings in October, mid-December and mid-January.