Barnyardgrass-Grass Family

Japanese millet, watergrass, Barnyard millet

Echinochloa cruz-galli

Characters. This European import is commonly found in cultivated fields and landscaped areas throughout the western US and world. It will grow in almost any situation and reproduces by seed and will root at lower leaf nodes... The stem is flat and erect with roots at its nodes. The leaves are linear with a broad round base narrowing at the tip. The flower head is reddish, purplish, pinkish or greenish. The seed head is windmill-shaped and the seeds are short with stiff awns. The plant can grow up to 2 m tall. It completes its development in 42-64 days. Each plant can produce up to 40,000 seeds. The young weeds resemble rice seedlings and they are often transplanted by mistake.
The stem is flat and erect with roots at its nodes. The leaves are linear with a broad round base narrowing at the tip. The flower head is reddish, purplish, pinkish or greenish. The seed head is windmill-shaped and the seeds are short with stiff awns. The plant can grow up to 2 m tall. It completes its development in 42-64 days. Each plant can produce up to 40,000 seeds. The young weeds resemble rice seedlings and they are often transplanted by mistake.

The spiklets often have a reddish color and are crowded with or without awns.

Impact. Studies show that a single barnyard grass per square foot can reduce rice yields by about 25%, and 25 barnyard grasses per square meter can cause about 50% yield loss. The mature plant grows higher than rice, so that it competes for sunlight, besides soil nutrients. It is also an alternate host for tungro and rice yellow dwarf viruses. Barnyard grass can reduce corn yields by 20%. It is an alternate host for corn's pests. On the other hand Barnyard grass is used as fodder for livestock, young leaves are used as vegetables, and the seeds are used as human food.

Cultural Control. Any or all of the follow will go a long way to prevent the buildup of this weed in cropping situations. Proper selection of weed free seed is the first step in control. 2. Proper seedbed preparation to prevent the weeds from growing on the seedbed is also of used. Remember that the weeds look like rice seedlings and are always transplanted by mistake. 3. Thorough land preparation by plowing and at least harrowing twice. 4. For rice, it is better not to practice direct seeding. Transplanted seedlings are more competitive than directly sowed ones. 5. Closer planting to prevent the germinating weed's seeds from receiving sunlight. 6.Regular plant monitoring. 7.Hand weeding during the early days of growth. Removing the weeds before they flower. 7. Deep flooding (submerging the whole plant. 9.Crop rotation