Smutsfinger grass seeds

Smutsfinger Grass (Digitaria eriantha)
Well adapted to medium and low potential soils
Succesfull on soils with high clay content
Palatable until late in winter
 
Requirements and uses
Areas with rainfall higher than 500 mm
Well adapted to medium and low potential soils
Successfull on soils with high clay content, but cannot withstand waterlogging
Mainly a pasture grass – utilized from mid summer and later
It is a sweet grass and keeps its palatability until late in winter – even after being killed by frost
Excellent as fodder
Good quality silage if its chopped fine enough
Invasion of Eragrostis can pose a problem for the lifespan of Smutsfinger grass
 
Establishment
November, January and February best sowing months
Stop 8 weeks before the first frost is expected
Where weeds are not a serious problem, you can sow during September/October
 
Soil preparation
Soil surface must be dry. Germination will take place with first rains.
The subsoil must be wet. This will benefit if dry weather is experienced after germination.
The protein content and the digestibility also decreases with longer intervals, but the total protein/ha will be higher as an effect of the higher DM production.
 
– Summer Pasture Grass / Summer Grazing
Sowing Rate: 8kg per hectare.
Planting Time: September to March (Southern Hemisphere.)
Digitaria eriantha / Smutsfinger – Irene / Tip Top is best used on a rotational basis or mixed with other grasses, because it doesn’t do well if overgrazed. Very sensitive to overgrazing!
 
USES / APPLICATIONS:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) is used for grazing, hay or silage. Suitable for cut-and-carry. Stoloniferous types provide good ground cover for soil conservation.
 
MOISTURE:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) is found in areas with average annual rainfall ranging from 300-1,300 mm, although mostly from 450-800 mm. All types are very drought tolerant. Seeding varieties are mostly used in areas with rainfall from about 750-1,000 mm.
 
TEMPERATURE:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) extends from about 14-34ºS, and from near sea level in South Africa to 2,250 m asl in Lesotho. Warm to hot summers, and cold winters, often with frosts, are experienced over most of this distribution. Average annual temperatures are mostly of the order of 16-24ºC.
 
LIGHT:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) is generally considered to have low shade tolerance.
 
DRY MATTER PRODUCTION:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) – DM yields vary with fertility, genotype, and environmental and management conditions, but normally range from about 10-20 t/ha, and under ideal conditions may exceed 30 t/ha.
 
ANIMAL PRODUCTION:
Digitaria eriantha (Smutsfinger) is an excellent species for beef and milk production. N fertilized pasture can produce >1,000 kg/ha/yr LWG and 6,000 kg/ha/yr milk, with stocking rates of 2.5-7.5 animals/ha.
 
STRENGTHS:
Adapted to light-textured soils and red loam soils
Persistent, productive
Drought-tolerant
Tolerant of moderate levels of exchangeable aluminium
Tolerant of fire
Tolerates short-duration heavy grazing by cattle and sheep
Contains low levels of soluble oxalate