Shama grass

Common Name: Shama grass, Jungle rice, Deccan grass, Jharua, Awnless barnyard grass, Dhan mama.

Scientific Name: Echinochloa colona

Feed Categories: Forage grass, Hay, Pasture grass

Physical Characteristics:

Shama grass is a robust, tufted grass that can reach heights up to 1.0 meters (Damalas et al., 2008; Bajwa et al., 2015). The stems are erect, branched, and often reddish-purple in color (Damalas et al., 2008; Bajwa et al., 2015). The leaves are flat, 10 to 25 cm long, 3–7 mm wide, sometimes shaded with red at their base. The inflorescence is green to purple, 6–12 cm long, and bears 4–8 short racemes on the main axis (FAO, 2011; Quattrocchi, 2006).

Production/Availability:

Echinochloa colona, a member of the genus Echinochloa, is a vigorous annual grass. It is widely distributed across the globe and is found in regions ranging from Africa and Asia to the Americas and Oceania (Yabuno, 1968). The species' remarkable distribution is due to its ability to withstand a variety of environmental conditions, such as drought, flooding, and varying soil types (Yabuno, 1968; Awan et al., 2014). Echinochloa colona is common in rice fields, wet locations, and watersides throughout Bangladesh. While it can be found all over the country, its growth is most favorable during the monsoon season. It is naturally found in wetlands and moist soils: in ponds and swampy places; in seasonally flooded grasslands; on riverbanks; at the edges of saline waterholes; in disturbed areas; in waste places; and in cultivated or irrigated fields and ditches (Quattrocchi, 2006). Echinochloa colona is a fast-growing summer grass but does not tolerate drought. It is a full-sun species that cannot grow in the shade (FAO, 2011).

Shama grass is commonly referred to as a weed in rice plants, causing immense havoc owing to its invasiveness and strong desire for competing vegetation. It competes with rice plants for nutrients, water, and space. Despite its classification as a weed, Shama grass (Echinochloa colona) has some food value. It has moderate protein and carbohydrate levels, so it may be a diet supplement for livestock if collected at the right stage.

The key point is management, and this reinforces the fact that grass needs to be grazed or harvested before going into seed if it will ever get turned away. This includes monitoring its growth stages and rotational grazing to maintain its best forage quality. The weed Echinochloa colona can be a serious annoyance for farmers as it competes with the cultivation of crops like rice. However, by managing its growth strategically for livestock grazing, this weed can be turned into a valuable resource. Less landless or marginalized people can use it as one of their livestock feeds options to meet their critical nutritional needs. When properly managed by grazing or harvesting at the correct stage, livestock can utilize it for its fair food value while reducing encroachment as a weed.