Can Eradicate Kikuyu Grass

Northern Advocate, 26 September 1946, Page 8

Can Eradicate Kikuyu Grass

Trials carried out at the Northern Wairoa experimental and demonstration farm indicate that kikuyu grass can be eradicated by the application of a sodium, sulphate solution, at a cost of about £2O per acre. Recognised as the most drought resistant grass in New Zealand, and conspicuous by its greenness during the drought of last summer, kikuyu was imported from South Africa. It is fairly widely used for binding steep road embankments and some farmers have used it for cattle fodder. Its remarkable propensity for spreading and resisting attempted eradication by burning and other drastic methods, has made it unpopular with not a few dairymen whose pastures have been invaded with kikuyu to the detriment of rye and clover swards. FARM EXPERIMENTS Those present at the farm field-day were able to examine the effects of sprays in a paddock which was badly infested with kikuyu. The paddock v/as marked off in 60 odd plots of uniform size, and different tests were applied to each. A marked difference was visible between some of them. In his report the society's chairman (Mr E. H. Arnold) who is' instructor in agriculture for the Whangarei district, said kikuyu grass was not to be condemned entirely. It had a pseful place in Northland. Its advantages were: Its feed value was high. It had proved of value particularly for horses, sheep and calves, and all close-grazing animals. In Australia and South Africa, its value for milking cows had been demonstrated. It gave best results when kept well grazed down so that there was continuous short, fresh growth to be fed off. When grazed under these conditions it was extremely palatable. ' It was extremely useful for binding sand country and slips on hill country. It had good drought-resistant capacities, proving its value during the 19451946 drought. When highly topdressed and closely grazed it produced its maximum. DISADVANTAGES Disadvantages were described: It produced little or no winter growth. It was cut back by frosts. Even long growth already present was riot eaten by stock when the grass was frosted. Its palatability decreased when allowed to grow rank. It was an aggressive weed of cultivated land. It was aggressive on" good land which should be growing paspalum-ryegrass-white clover pasture swards. It would even smother paspalurn. It was easily spread by cattle, through stems being caught in the cloven hooves, and transplanted elsewhere, such as in soft ground at gateways and around water troughs. The problem presented was in finding some method to control and confine kikuyu grass to those areas where it was useful and desirable, and to eradicate it and prevent its spread on those areas where it was not wanted. Some six years ago a series of eradication trials were planned, but owing to wartime conditions, the work was held over. During the past year a commencement was made «with this work. Some 66 different treatments were applied to plots at the end of November last. , From the results of this comprehensive trial, it appealed that eradication of kikuyu grass could be obtained by using sodium chlorate in certain amounts per acre. Further, if applied as a spray, a spreader, such as Agrai increased its efficiency. The results obtained in the exceptionally dry season, could be only tentative. Several vital questions had yet to be answered. These included the

correct time or times of the year when treatment would be most effective. In addition, further information was required as to the optimum strength of sodium chlorate spray required. The usefulness of creosote, a substance which was not tried last year, was being investigated; concluded Mr Arnold.