(a) Give the botanical name of each of specimens I (Common wireweed) J (coatbuttons), K (Giant star grass), and L (cogongrass)
(b) Describe Specimen K
(c) Describe the process of preparing silage from specimen K
(d) Mention two methods for the effective control of specimen L on a farm.
Explanation
(a) Botanical name of specimens:-
- I = Šida acuta,
- J = Tridax procumbens,
- K = Cynodon plectostachyum/nlemfluensis/ (specie),
- L = Imperata cylindrical.
(b) Description of specimen K:
- short and hardly visíble inter-nodes
- weak stem
- leaf sheath covers much of the internodes
- roots are present at nodes
- leaves shoot from nodes
- leaves are long and narrow
- leaves have parallel venation
- has adventitious/fibrous roots
- is a creeping, stoloniferous grass.
(c) Process of preparing silage from specimen K:
- harvest plant before flowering
- chop plant into pieces
- partially wilt chopped material under the sun
- put wilted material into silage pit
- compress material well
- sprinkle a little dilute mineral acid
- add nitrogen fertilizer e.g. urea
- repeat the preceding steps until pit is full
- cover pit to make it air and watertight for a least two/three weeks
(d) Control of specimen L on the farm:
- deep ploughing to expose rhizomes
- destruction of exposed rhizomes.