Species of cultivated grasses

Abstract

In the previous chapter the role of grasses was described, especially in rotation with cropping. Rarely in East Africa are grasses established for the sole purpose of replacing natural grasslands. The inclusion of grasses in the crop rotation can double crop yields and sustain soil productivity without unduly high levels of fertilizer, mechanization or weed control. The cultivation of grass in rotation with crops must be the means by which soil structure and fertility are restored while livestock, which have often been divorced from the existing forms of agriculture, are brought to be an essential part of farming practices. It goes without saying that any potential species to be considered should fit in well in the rotation and be the best available for livestock.