Indication
It is the first seed-propagated hybrid of elephant grass. A cultivar with high potential for forage production (up to 50 t/ha/year of dry matter). Recommended for high-fertility soils, corrected and fertilized. Suitable for cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, cut and supplied fresh or as silage. It can also be used for direct grazing. It is an option for biomass production for thermoelectric energy production or for generating heat in grain dryers.
Pennisetum glaucum x Pennisetum purpureum
High fertility and fertilized soils
Direct grazing, silage, or fresh chopped
30 to 50 t/ha/year of dry matter (DM)
8 to 18%
Up to 3.0m
Excellent
Excellent
Medium
High
Perennial
Origin
Forage hybrid originated from the artificial cross between millet (mother) and common elephant grass (father). This cross was made in the 1990s at the University of Georgia by Dr. Hanna.
Agronomic Characteristics
It was the first cultivar of elephant grass to be propagated by seeds. This facilitated the establishment of this forage species, which until then was only done through seedlings.
Use and Management
Cuttings in Paraíso elephant grass should start when the plants are well established, with good root system development, which should occur about 90 to 100 days after seed germination. After this first cutting, it is important to apply maintenance fertilization, i.e., the application of at least 80 kg/ha of nitrogen and 160 kg/ha of KCl for every 20 t of green forage produced. This fertilization should occur during the rainy season. After this first cutting, subsequent ones will be performed at intervals of approximately 70 days. These cuttings depend exclusively on climatic factors (light, temperature, and water). Maintenance/coverage fertilization can be divided for each cutting.
Morphological Characteristics
A forage species of tall stature, capable of reaching over 3.5 m in height, with erect stems arranged in open or closed tussocks, it has short rhizomes, dark green leaves, measuring from 30 cm to 110 cm in length by 3 to 10 cm in width.
