• Latin name
• Family
• Common name(s)
• Synonym(s)
• Geographical distribution
• Morphology
• Biology and ecology
• Agricultural importance
• Management
• Selected references
• Contributors

Echinochloa glabrescens

Echinochloa glabrescens is an erect grass with green to purple inflorescence (IRRI).

Latin name

Echinochloa glabrescens Munro ex Hook. f.

Family

Poaceae 

Common name(s)

Barnyard grass

Synonym(s)

E. crus-galli (auct. div.) non (L.) Beauv.

Geographical distribution

Asia: China, Japan, and Korea.

South and Southeast Asia: Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Rest of the world: Africa (Togo). 

Morphology

An erect annual grass, up to 100—cm—tall.

Stem: stout, erect to decumbent, often branching from the base, smooth and without hairs.

Leaf: 10—20—cm—long and 0.5—0.8 cm—wide; leaf sheaths glabrous, almost closed and often flattened; ligule absent.

Inflorescence: usually narrow pyramidal racemes, green to purple, about 10—20—cm— long; spikelets more or less ovate about 3—3.5—mm—long; awnless or awns, if present 1—3—cm— long. 

Biology and ecology

Echinochloa glabrescens can be found in dry seeded rice, wet seeded rice, transplanted rice, and upland rice. This species is associated with tungro viruses. 

Agricultural importance

It serves as alternate host of many insect pests in rice such as hoppers, mealybug, and the rice black bug. 

Management

Cultural control: ensure clean seed; maintain flooding after rice has been established.

Chemical control: preemergence application of oxadiazon or pendimethalin or postemergence application of cyhalofop, butachlor, and fenoxaprop can be effective.

Selected references

Baker FWG, Terry PJ. 1991. Tropical grassy weeds. Wallingford CAB International. 203 p.

Caton BP, Mortimer M, Hill JE. 2004. Weeds of Rice in Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 116 p.

IRRI. 1985. Annual report. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 554 p.
Michael PW. 1983. Taxonomy and distribution of Echinocloa species with special reference to their occurrence as weeds of rice. Proceedings of the conference on weed control in rice. 1981. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. p 291-306.

Moody K, Munroe CE, Lubigan RT, Paller Jr. EC. 1984. Major weeds of the Philippines. College, Laguna (Philippines): University of the Philippines at Los Baños. 328 p.

Pancho JV, Obien SR. 1995. Manual of ricefield weeds in the Philippines. Munoz, Nueva Ecija (Philippines): Philippine Rice Research Institute. 543 p.

Reissig WH, Heinrichs EA, Litsinger JA, Moody K, Fiedler L, Mew TW, Barrion AT. 1986. Illustrated guide to integrated pest management in rice in tropical Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 411 p.

Scholz H. 1978. Zwei Graminnen neu füf Togo: Echinochloa glabrescens und Panicum laxum. Willdenowia 8:375-377.

Contributors

JLA Catindig, RT Lubigan, and DE Johnson