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Reference · Crops

Grasses

Grasses (Latin: Poaceae) form one of the most important plant families in agriculture, encompassing vital cereal crops like wheat, rice, maize, barley, and oats. These monocotyledonous plants are the foundation of global food security, providing essential grains for human consumption, livestock feed, and diverse industrial raw materials such as biofuel and textiles.

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Oat7 Ottochloa4 Ochlandra3 Oryzopsis3 Neyraudia2 Ocellochloa2 Ophiuros2 Panicum2 Neohouzeaua1 Neololeba1 Neostapfia1 Neurachne1 Oloptum1 Olyra1 Opizia1 Oplismenus1 Orcuttia1 Oreobambos1 Oropetium1 Orthoclada1
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Neglected goatgrass Aegilops neglecta Nelson's needlegrass Stipa nelsonii Neohouzeaua Neohouzeaua 1 item Neololeba Neololeba 1 item Neostapfia Neostapfia 1 item Nepal silver grass Miscanthus nepalensis Nervate panicgrass Panicum nervatum Neurachne Neurachne 1 item Nevada bluegrass Poa nevadensis New Mexico lovegrass Eragrostis neomexicana New Zealand fescue Festuca novae-zelandiae Neyraudia Neyraudia 2 items Nile dropseed Sporobolus niliacus Nimblewill Muhlenbergia frondosa Nine-nerved millet Panicum novemnerve Nippon bentgrass Agrostis nipponensis Nodding brome Bromus anomalus Nodding needlegrass Stipa cernua Noric fescue Festuca norica Northern mannagrass Glyceria septentrionalis Oat Avena L. 7 items Oat-leaved spear grass Stipa avenacea Oatgrass Helictotrichon Oatgrass Helictotrichon imberbe Occitan fescue Festuca occitanica Ocellochloa Ocellochloa 2 items Ochlandra Ochlandra 3 items Oloptum Oloptum 1 item Olyra Olyra 1 item Ophiuros Ophiuros 2 items Opizia Opizia 1 item Oplismenus Oplismenus 1 item Orange melick Melica aurantiaca Orcuttia Orcuttia 1 item Oreobambos Oreobambos 1 item Oreochloa disticha Oreochloa disticha Oreochloa seslerioides Oreochloa seslerioides Oropetium Oropetium 1 item Orthoclada Orthoclada 1 item Oryza brachyantha Oryza brachyantha Oryzopsis Oryzopsis 3 items Otatea Otatea 1 item Ottochloa Ottochloa 4 items Oxychloris Oxychloris 1 item Oxylepis lovegrass Eragrostis oxylepis Oxytenanthera Oxytenanthera 1 item Pacific cupgrass Eriochloa pacifica Pacific foxtail Alopecurus saccatus Painted fescue Festuca picturata Pale bluegrass Poa pallens Pale fescue Festuca pallens Pale-yellow dropseed Sporobolus helveolus Palermo wheatgrass Elymus panormitanus Palm grass Setaria plicata Palmarosa Cymbopogon martini Paniculate timothy Phleum paniculatum Panicum Megathyrsus (Pilg.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs 2 items Panicum aequinerve Panicum aequinerve Panicum afzelii Panicum afzelii Panicum bartowense Panicum bartowense

Grasses

Botanically, grasses are characterized by fibrous root systems, jointed stems known as culms, and leaves with parallel venation. Their flowers are typically arranged in spikelets, forming complex inflorescences like spikes or panicles. The fruit is a caryopsis, a type of grain in which the fruit wall is fused to the seed coat, distinguishing them from other botanical fruits.

The distribution of grasses is worldwide, ranging from equatorial regions to subarctic zones. This adaptability is the result of long-term natural evolution and centuries of selective breeding. Most cultivated grasses originated in fertile valleys of the Near East, East Asia, and the Americas, where ancient civilizations first practiced sedentary agriculture.

Agronomic requirements depend on the specific species, though most grasses thrive in well-drained soils rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Crop management practices include soil tillage, strategic fertilization, and adherence to crop rotation cycles to maintain soil health. Irrigation is essential for high-yield species like rice, while others are adapted to rain-fed farming systems.

Key challenges in cultivation include fungal pathogens like rusts, smuts, and mildews, alongside insect pests such as aphids, stem borers, and locusts. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, involving the use of resistant crop varieties, biological control, and judicious pesticide application, are essential for ensuring sustainable yields and optimal grain quality.

  • Cereals: primary grains for food production.
  • Forage grasses: critical for livestock pastures and silage.
  • Turf and ornamental grasses: significant for landscaping and soil erosion control.