Dhal Grass

Common names: Dal (dhal) grass; Hymenachne; West Indian Marsh grass, Water straw grass, Trumpet grass, Wick grass; Bamboo grass (India)

Scientific Name: Hymenachne amplexicaulis

Feed categories: Green roughages-cultivated grass, Hay and silage

Physical Characteristics:

Dal grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) is a perennial grass with stout, erect or ascending buds 1–2.5 m high and to >12 mm thick and prostrate stems that move along wet soil or develop floating, random roots. The stem is smooth and green. Leaves glossy green in color, largely glabrous; sheaths often spongy; blades mostly linear-lanceolate, 10–45 cm long and to >3 cm wide.

Production / Availability:

Dhal grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) is native to South and South and East Asia, and northern Australia. Dhal is a native species of perennial aquatic grass. H. amplexicaulis is a wetland species, inhabiting wetlands, river floodplains, and the margins of drainage canals. This grass grows in water to a depth of about 2-4 meters. It grows well in fertile, seasonally flooded clays, although water availability determines its distribution more than soil texture. It has low drought tolerance, does not spread beyond wet areas, and has low salt tolerance.

Dhal is a native species of perennial aquatic grass in the Indian sub-continental. It grows in muddy soil. If there is sufficient water, dhal grass can be produced year-round as a permanent grass. This grass grows very well in dung manure and cow shed water and requires no chemical fertilizers. Once planted, grass is available for 4-5 years. Dhal grass is used to make useful hay, although it can be used as green fodder in the cut-and-carry method and can also be processed into silage.

Dhal grass is a valuable fodder resource for the dry season. It is normally not grazed at other times of the year due to the harmful effects of trampling and uprooting plants from wet soil. However, once the soil has dried out sufficiently to carry stock. The Dhal grass can tolerate heavy grazing.

H. amplexicaulis can be established vegetatively or from seed. Stem cuttings (2‒3 nodes) can be dropped into water over 10 cm deep, or runners planted in rows 5 m apart.  Seed can be broadcast onto wet soil, or onto shallow water, with seedlings emerging as the water dries out.

In the context of Bangladesh, the land should be cultivated well in the conventional method. Flooding can be done later on in clay soils without tillage. 35-40 thousand cuttings per hectare are required. Distance from line to line and cutting to cutting is 70 cm and 35 cm respectively. This grass does not need any chemical fertilizers if it is cultivated with dung manure and cow-shed water. Otherwise, 50 kg of urea, 70 kg of TSP and 30 kg of MP per hectare will be applied during land preparation. 50 kg of urea per hectare after 1 month of planting grass. 50 kg of urea per hectare should be applied after each cutting. The grass is cut down every 35-45 days depending on the season. The grass can be cut 5-6 times in the first year and 6-8 times in the following years. The biomass yield of dhal grass is 100-120 tons per hectare per year.