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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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Aristida49 Anthephora5 Ammochloa2 Amphicarpum2 Amphipogon2 Antinoria2 Apluda2 Apocopis2 Ampelocalamus1 Ampelodesmos1 Anadelphia1 Ancistrachne1 Anisopogon1 Anomochloa1 Anthenantia1 Anthephora1 Anthosachne1 Arctagrostis1 Arctophila1
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Alpine heathgrass Danthonia alpina Alpine Timothy Phleum alpinum American dunegrass Elymus mollis American mannagrass Glyceria grandis American sloughgrass Beckmannia syzigachne Amethyst bluestem Andropogon amethystinus Amethyst fescue Festuca amethystina Amethyst Ischaemum Ischaemum amethystinum Amethyst melic Melica amethystina Ammochloa Ammochloa 2 items Ampelocalamus Ampelocalamus 1 item Ampelodesmos Ampelodesmos 1 item Amphicarpum Amphicarpum 2 items Amphipogon Amphipogon 2 items Amur foxtail Alopecurus amurensis Amur silver grass Miscanthus sacchariflorus Anadelphia Anadelphia 1 item Ancistrachne Ancistrachne 1 item Andropogon Andropogon hybrids Andropogon bicornis Andropogon bicornis Andropogon canaliculatus Andropogon canaliculatus Andropogon chevalieri Andropogon chevalieri Andropogon distachyos Andropogon distachyos Andropogon eucomus Andropogon eucomus Andropogon fastigiatus Andropogon fastigiatus Andropogon fragilis Andropogon fragilis Andropogon gyrans Andropogon gyrans Andropogon huillensis Andropogon huillensis Andropogon lateralis Andropogon lateralis Andropogon leucostachyus Andropogon leucostachyus Andropogon lima Andropogon lima Andropogon pinguipes Andropogon pinguipes Andropogon pseudapricus Andropogon pseudapricus Andropogon schirensis Andropogon schirensis Andropogon selloanus Andropogon selloanus Anemanthele lessoniana Anemanthele lessoniana Anisopogon Anisopogon 1 item Annual soft grass Holcus annuus Annual vernal grass Anthoxanthum aristatum Anomochloa Anomochloa 1 item Anthenantia Anthenantia 1 item Anthephora Anthephora Schreb. 1 item Anthephora Anthephora 5 items Anthosachne Anthosachne 1 item Anthoxanthum amarum Anthoxanthum amarum Anthoxanthum hirtum Anthoxanthum hirtum Anthoxanthum ovatum Anthoxanthum ovatum Antinoria Antinoria 2 items Antuco fescue Festuca antucensis Apennine ryegrass Lolium apenninum Apluda Apluda 2 items Apocopis Apocopis 2 items Arabian needlegrass Stipa arabica Arctagrostis Arctagrostis 1 item Arctic bluegrass Poa arctica Arctophila Arctophila 1 item Aristida Aristida 49 items Arizona barley Hordeum arizonicum Arizona brome Bromus arizonicus Arizona fescue Festuca arizonica

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.