Subject: Re: Info on Sorghum & summer crops

From: Victor Guest <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 1988 08:29:48 WST

I hope this information from Kenn may be of some use.
I did grow sorghum at Salmon Gums with some success. Using summer rain (2in)
it grew 9ft in 8weeks.
We treated it as wheat so I can't give you much info about best practice.

As we were on sandy soil we couldnt graze it in the middle of summner without 
risking blow. HM makes sense now. Or cutting for hay. There should be some
good information around Esperance.
Vic

>From: "K.H. von Kaufmann" <[email-masked]>
>Subject: Grasses deter pests - boost maize harvests by 40 percent.
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>
>Grasses that grow wild across Kenya can double maize yields when grown
>alongside the maize.  They attract the stem borer caterpillar that normally
>attacks the maize.  They also attract the borer's main foe, a parasitic wasp.
>
>Other grasses planted between rows of maize keep moths away by giving of
>unpleasant smells.  They also fend off a weed called Striga that attaches
>itself to the plant's roots.  These two pests typically reduce yields by
>40percent.
>
>4 grasses have been tested so far on 150 Kenyan farms so far and is being
>extended to Uganda Tanzania and Ethiopia. The grasses are;  Sudan (Sorghum
>vulgare), Napier (Pennisetum purpureum), Silverleaf (Desmodium uncinatum)
>Molasses (Melinis minutiflora).  Mbita Point research station, Lake
>Victoria and the British-based Gatsby Charitable Foundation are behind the
>projects.
>
>Source: New Scientist magazine this week,  24/10/98.  The New Sci angle
>(maybe I am being presumptuous) is that it is a way of boosting maize
>yields (for growing populations).  Another way (preferably in my opinion),
>is to see it as the value of diversity.
>
>Regards,
>Kenn

Regards,
          Vic
--
Victor Guest   V.G.Guest                       Perth, Western Australia
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