E. crus-galli is an annual grass, culms 30-200 cm, spreading, decumbent or stiffly erect;nodes usually glabrous or the lower nodes puberulent. Sheaths glabrous;ligules absent, ligule region sometimes pubescent;blades to 65 cm long, 5-30 mm wide, usually glabrous, occasionally sparsely hirsute. Panicles 5-25 cm, with few-many papillose-based hairs at or below the nodes of the primary axes, hairs sometimes longer than the spikelets;primary branches 1.5-10 cm, erect to spreading, longer branches with short, inconspicuous secondary branches, axes scabrous, sometimes also sparsely hispid, hairs to 5 mm, papillose-based. Spikelets 2.5-4 mm long, 1.1-2.3 mm wide, disarticulating at maturity. Upper glumes about as long as the spikelets;lower florets sterile;lower lemmas unawned to awned, sometimes varying within a branch, awns to 50 mm;lower paleas subequal to the lemmas;upper lemmas broadly ovate to elliptical, coriaceous portion rounded distally, passing abruptly into an early-withering, acuminate, membranous tip that is further demarcated from the coriaceous portion by a line of minute hairs (use 25× magnification);anthers 0.5-1 mm. Caryopses 1.3-2.2 mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, ovoid or oblong, brownish (Michael, 2003).
Related invasive species
- Echinochloa crus-galli
Related Farm Practice
- Vineyards
- Orchards
- Hosts
E. crus-galli is a grass species included in the Global Compendium of Weeds (Randall, 2012) and which is considered one of the world’s worst weeds. This species has the capability to reduce crop yields and cause forage crops to fail by removing up to 80% of the available soil nitrogen. E. crus-galli is considered the world’s worst weed in rice paddies and has been also listed as a weed in at least other 36 crops throughout tropical and temperate regions of the world (Holm et al., 1991). The high levels of nitrates it accumulates can poison livestock. It also acts as a host for several mosaic virus diseases. E. crus-galli is also considered an environmental weed that has become invasive in natural grasslands, coastal forests and disturbed sites in Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe and America (FAO, 2014;USDA-ARS, 2014).
E. crus-galli can be a very serious weed in rice, maize, soya bean, lucerne, vegetables, root crops, orchards and vineyards. It has been reported to be a serious weed of 36 crops (Holm et al., 1991), particularly rice, where its similar habit and appearance make it difficult to distinguish when young.