Panicum maximum Jacq.

Code

PANMA

Mayotte: Panicum maximum flowers from October to May and fruits from February to May.

                                                     Key for identification of Panicum

A widespread weed of cultivated fields. It is abundant in short fallows and by roadsides. Majorly sown in the sub-tropics and are widely used in South America, Japan, and India as well as Eastern Australia. Shade tolerant and often found around tree lines in their native environment taking advantage of the improved nutrition from the leaf litter. Moderately drought tolerant,good spring growth, requires fertile conditions for good performance,does not tolerate waterlogging or flooding.It prefers high temperatures with maximum growth at 30-36°C/25-31°C (day/night temperature) under controlled conditions. The growth rate falls sharply when the temperature is below 18°C/13°C, with negligible growth below 15°C/10°C.

Comoros: Panicum maximum is a common species in the three islands, in low and medium altitude areas especially in lighted areas.
French Guiana: Very large grass in the open areas along paths, roads or canals on the Mana rice polder. It is also found in orchards, especially when they are under permanent plant cover.
Madagascar: Common species in all areas of the big Island but localized in the low lands, alluvial plains and depressions (fallow and rainfed) where soils are deep and fertile or around residential areas on the edges of roads or irrigation canals. This is an indicator species of fertile soils.
Mauritius: dominant species on abandoned land in dry areas, towards the lower part of the island. It also grows on roadsides and fields. It is very common throughout the island and it is a consequent weed for sugar cane.
Mayotte: Panicum maximum is an exotic species widely naturalized and invasive in all natural and secondarized environments. It is a very common weed in crops.
Reunion: The species is very common in Reunion on the coast. It is also present at medium altitude, both in dry and moderately moist areas. It occurs on soils of good quality and slightly moist.
Seychelles: This species grows well on a wide variety of soil types. Observed everywhere yet it is more present in altitude. It is able to bloom in many cultures that are grown in a wide range of conditions.
West Indies: Panicum maximum is an exotic species. It is a heliophilic species that colonises all open and disturbed environments. Not very demanding on soil quality and very aggressive, it quickly forms a monospecific cover preventing the installation and development of other plant species. It often occupies the edge of fields and colonises cultivated plots if it is not quickly controlled.  It grows back after ploughing on former fallow land or wasteland that has been heavily colonised.

Local harmfulness

Comoros: Panicum maximum is a common species in the wasteland. It occurs in old fields of banana, cassava or sugar cane.
French Guiana: This species is not very common in orchards, but may locally cause problems during gyrogrinding due to the density of the grass clump at the base of the plant. Stump removal may be necessary.
Madagascar: It is a slightly invasive weed and is infrequent in crops.
Mauritius: A weed that significantly hinders the development of sugar cane. It has high harmfulness. It is rare in vegetable crops.
Mayotte: Panicum maximum is a fairly common weed in Mayotte, it is present in 14% of cultivated plots. It is found in particular in food crops, but it is also present in pineapple plantations and fruit crops. It is abundant especially in the south of the island, but it is also found in the center.
Uganda: Frequent and usually abundant.
Reunion: A weed that invades cultivated soils. This is one of the most common weed in crops. It is present in 55% of cultivated land and 65% of sugarcane plots. This is a major weed of this culture, presenting regularly an average to high covering rate, up to 70-85%.
Seychelles: major weed in many places; this is one of the most aggressive invasive species of annual and perennial crops, and often the main weed in orchards, underground cultures, gardening and tea plantations.
West Indies: Panicum maximum is a weed found in all crops. It is generally well controlled in banana, fruit and vegetable crops at the beginning of its establishment. On the other hand, it is very harmful in sugarcane where it can form large stands.

Fodder: Panicum maximum is a good quality forage.

Agronomy: This species is also used to fight against erosion.

Global control
 
For perennial grass weed control tips irrigated rice and lowland in Africa, visit: http://portal.wiktrop.org/document/show/34


Local control

Mauritius : See MSIRI Recommendation Sheet No 151 - Chemical Control of Panicum maximum (click here)
Reunion: see the website of CaroCanne (The online magazine of sugarcane workers in Reunion) Technical specifications No. 34

 
                                     Spectrum efficacy of herbicides on Panicum maximum in sugarcane cultivation

(The doses are expressed in commercial productsl) - 2014

Data acquired in Reunion on the effectiveness of herbicides in the sugarcane herbicide by eRcane Network with funding from the ODEADOM and ONEMA.
Action led by the French Ministry of Agriculture food and forest, with financial support from the National Agency for Water and Aquatic Environments, appropriations from the fee awarded to diffuse pollution Ecophyto finance the plan.

West Indies: Effective control of Panicum maximum requires uprooting.

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT for Panicum maximum: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Panicum%2520maximum

Herbarium pictures ReCOLNAT for Megathyrsus maximus: https://explore.recolnat.org/search/botanique/simplequery=Megathyrsus%2520maximus