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

Paspalum scrobiculatum

Paspalum scrobiculatum has slender stem and an inflorescence of spreading racemes (IRRI).

Latin name

Paspalum scrobiculatum L.

Family

Poaceae

Common name(s)

Kodo millet

Synonym(s)

Paspalum commersonii Lam., P. orbiculare Forster, P. polystachyum R.Br., P. scrobiculatum var. commersonii (Lam.) Stapf.

Geographical distribution

Asia: China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), Korea, and Japan.

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

Rest of the world: Australia, Brazil, Congo-Kinshasa, Fiji, Mauritius, Melanesia, and West Africa.

Morphology

An erect annual or perennial grass, somewhat wiry, 20—100—cm—high.

Stem: culms are slender and without hairs, hollow; nodes swollen, hairy.

Leaf: 30—cm—long; sheaths loose, hairless, and longer than internodes; ligules membranous, 0.5—3—mm—long.

Inflorescence: consists of 2—5 (15) racemes. Inflorescence 4—8—cm—long, usually spreading; spikelets flattened pale, in 2 rows, about 2—mm—long; caryopsis orbicular, smooth.

Close-up of inflorescence (IRRI).

Biology and ecology

Grows along field margins and drains of lowland rice fields and also in open grasslands. Also thrives well in cultivated fields, pastures, and roadsides. Is propagated by seeds and occasionally by rooted tillers.

Agricultural importance

Paspalum scrobiculatum is a common rice weed. It is an alternate host for rice tungro virus as well as for common insect pests of rice.

Management

Cultural control: hand weeding or hoe.

Chemical control: Glyphosate prior to land preparation.

Selected references

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

Galinato MI, Moody K, Piggin CM. 1999. Upland rice weeds of South and Southeast Asia. Los Baños (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 156 p.

Holm L, Pancho JV, Herberger JP, Plucknett DL. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. New York (USA): John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 391 p.

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

Moody K. 1989. Weeds reported in rice in South and Southeast Asia. Manila (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 442 p.

Contributors

JLA Catindig, RT Lubigan, and DE Johnson