Abstract
This review is prefaced by an introduction to biological characteristics of Imperata cylindrica which relate to its control by chemical and mechanical methods. Of the many herbicides tested and used against I. cylindrica, glyphosate has became the market leader but the potential of imazapyr is also recognized. The activity of additives to improve glyphosate and imazapyr performance is summarised and linked to a review of spray volume rates and the use of three types of application equipment: hydraulic (knapsack) sprayers, spinning discs and weed wipers. An example of the practical use of glyphosate in an estate crop is given. The role of tillage in the management of I. cylindrica is discussed but emphasis is given to pressing as a technique for promoting natural regeneration of forestry species. An integrated approach is considered to be essential for the management of I. cylindrica whereby fire prevention and methods of control are deployed in the conversion of Imperata-dominated land into sustainable, productive systems. Examples are given of integrated management in commodity plantations, rehabilitation of Imperata grasslands through reforestation, and conservation tillage to sustain soil fertility and productivity.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ayeni, AO and Duke, WB (1985) The influence of rhizome features on subsequent regenerative capacity in speargrass [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 13: 309–317
Al-Juboory, BA and Hassawy, GS (1980) Comparative morphological development of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) in Iraq. Weed Science 28: 324–326
Bacon, PS (1984a) AC252925: a promising new compound for the control of sheet alang-alang [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. Symposium in Weed Science, BIOTROP Special Publication 24, 325–339. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Bacon, PS (1984b) New developments in the herbicidal control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Proceedings of the First Tropical Weed Science Conference, University of Songkla, Hat Yai, Thailand, pp 447–462
Bacon PS (1985) Third Annual Report of the United Kingdom Overseas Development Administration Imperata Project, R.3703, May 1984–April 1985 BPP Sembawa, Kotak Pos 1127, Palembang, Indonesia, 83 pp
Bacon, PS (1988) New developments in the control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel and their influence on the ecology of I. cylindrica grassland. PhD Thesis, University of Reading, UK, 157 pp
Bacon PS and Kusnanto U (1984) The use of direct contact herbicide applicators (weed wipers) for controlling Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Proceedings of the Seventh Indonesian Weed Science Society Conference, Surakarta, Java, Indonesia, pp 189–197
Bacon, PS and Terry, PJ (1984) Annual Report of the United Kingdom Overseas Development Administration Imperata Project — R.3703, March 1983–May 1984. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia, 74 pp
Bahat, A (1985) Glufosinate ammonium for general weed control in vineyards, citrus and other fruit orchards, and uncultivated areas. Phytoparasitica, Israel 13: 239
Bartlett, HH (1956) Fire, primitive agriculture and grazing in the tropics. In: Thomas, WL Jr (ed) Man's Role in Changing the Face of Earth. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, USA
Bourgoing, R and Boutin, D (1987) Method of controlling Imperata using light wooden rollers and establishing cover crops (Pueraria) in young hybrid coconut plantations in a village environment. Oleagineux 42: 19–23
Brook, RM (1989) Review of literature of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel with particular reference to Southeast Asia. Tropical Pest Management 35: 12–25
Childs, JM (1956) Chemical control of lalang. PANS C 2: 81–86
Cox, TI and Johnson, DE (1991) Annual Report of the United Kingdom Overseas Development Administration Imperata Project — R.3703, November 1989–June 1991. Pusat Penelitian Perkebunan, Sembawa, Kotak Pos 1127, Palembang, Indonesia
Dela Cruz, RE (1986) Constraints and strategies for the regeneration of Imperata grasslands. In: Forest Regeneration in South-east Asia, 19–21 June 1979. Special Publication No. 25, BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia, pp 105–120
Dela Cruz RE (1993) Imperata cylindrica grassland in the Philippines. In: Vandenbelt RJ (ed) Imperata grasslands in Southeast Asia: Summary Reports from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Rep. No. 18. Multipurpose Tree Species Network Research Series. Forestry/Fuelwood Research and Development (F/FRED) Project. Winrock International and US Agency for International Development, pp 7–18
DENR (1989) Agroforestry Technology Information Kit. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, and Ford Foundation, Silang, Cavite, the Philippines, 237 pp
Dickens, R and Buchanan, GA (1975) Control of cogongrass with herbicides. Weed Science 23: 194–197
Dove, MR (1981) Symbiotic relationship between human population and Imperata cylindrica. The question of ecosystematic succession and preservation in south Kalimatan. In: Nordin, M et al. (eds) Conservation Inputs from Life Sciences, pp 187–200. Bangi, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (Malaysian National University), Malaysia
Drilling, ME (1989) Research priorities for reforestation in Indonesia with an emphasis on accelerated natural regeneration. US Agency for International Development, Jakarta, Indonesia, 80 pp
Drilling, ME (1995) Grass pressing: an effective technique to inhibit grass growth in small-scale grassland rehabilitation projects. Buffalo, NY, USA, 14 pp
Dugan PC (1992) Rehabilitation of logged-over forests in the Asia/Pacific region. Final (draft) report to the Japan Overseas Forestry Consultants Association. July 1992, 69 pp
Dugan, PC and Soedjito, H (1992) Natural Resources Management Project (NRMP) — An environmental assessment of forestry, agriculture and research activities. Government of Indonesia. US Agency for International Development, Jakarta, Indonesia, November 1992, 73 pp
Eussen, JHH (1980) Biological and ecological aspects of alang-alang [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. Proceedings of a BIOTROP Workshop on Alang-alang. BIOTROP Special Publication No. 5, 15–22. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Eussen JHH (1981) Studies on the growth characteristics of alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.). BIOTROP Bull 18, 32 pp
Eussen JHH and Wirdjahardja S (1973) Studies of alang-alang vegetation [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. BIOTROP Bull 6, 24 pp
Gunawan, A, Anwar, C, Gozali, AD and Bagnall-Oakeley, H (1994) Management of Imperata cylindrica by smallholder rubber farmers. Paper presented to Panel Discussion on Control of Alang-alang and Technology Transfer in Rubber Smallholder Farmers, 5 December 1994, Sembawa Plantation Research Centre, Indonesia, 7 pp
Hadi, TS (1992) A study on provenance variation in Acacia mangium Willd. at Riam Kiwa, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. MSc thesis. Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, Finland
Hadi, TS, Vokko, R and Adjers, G (1990) Species elimination trial in an Imperata cylindrica site; results from 522 species two years after planting. Technical Report 1/IV. Mechanized Nursery and Plantation Project in South Kalimantan (ATA-267). Enso Forest Development, Finnish International Development Agency, Ministry of Forestry, Jakarta, Indonesia
Hagreis, BJ and Vonk, H (1927) Beknopte beschrijving van den inheemschen landbouw in Tapanuli. Landbouw 3: 688–689
Holm, LG, Plucknett, DL, Pancho, JV and Herberger, JP (1977) The World's Worst Weeds. Distribution and Biology. The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA, 609 pp
Hubbard, CE, Whyte, RO, Brown, D and Gray, AP (1944) Imperata cylindrica. Taxonomy, distribution, economic significance and control. Imperial Agricultural Bureaux Joint Publication No. 7. Imperial Agricultural Bureaux, Aberystwyth, UK, 63 pp
Ivens GW (1975) Studies on Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. and Eupatorium odoratum L. ARC Weed Research Organization Technical Report, Oxford, UK, No. 37, 27 pp
Ivens, GW (1980) Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. in West African agriculture. Proceedings of a BIOTROP Workshop on Alang-alang. BIOTROP Special Publication No. 5, pp 149–156. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Jensen, CL and Pfeifer, S (1989) Assisted natural regeneration: a new reforestation approach for DENR? An evaluation prepared for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of the Philippines. US Agency for International Development, Manila, the Philippines, 23 pp
Junghun, F (1847) Die Battaländer auf Sumatra, 2: 190–191. G. Reimer, Berlin, Germany
Kuusipalo J, Adjers G, Jafarsidik J, Otsamo A, Tuomela K and Vuokko R (in press) Restoration on natural vegetation in degraded Imperata cylindrica grasslands: understorey development in forest plantations. Journal of Vegetation Science
Lal, R (1989) Conservation tillage for agriculture: tropics versus temperate environments. Advances in Agronomy 42: 85–197
Lee, SA (1977) Germination, rhizome survival and control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. on peat. MARDI Res Bull 5, 1–9, MARDI, Malaysia
Lee, SA (1986) Effects of glufosinate-ammonium, glyphosate and imazapyr on the control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Plant Protection in the Tropics. Genting Highlands, Malaysia
Mangoensoekardjo, S (1980) Alang-alang problems and their control in estate crops. Proceedings of BIOTROP Workshop on Alang-alang. BIOTROP Special Publication 5. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Monsanto Europe SA (1971) MON-1139 Post-Emergence Herbicide. Publication of Monsanto Europe SA
Naiola BP (1981) Growth and variation of some Indonesian alang-alang clones. Proceedings of 8th Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Bangalore, India, 1981, pp 291–294
National Academy (1983) Mangium and Other Fast-growing Acacias for the Humid Tropics. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA, 65 pp
Olonuga BA (1976) The use of herbicides to control spear grass, Imperata cylindrica (Linn.) Beauv. Proceedings of the Fifth Conference of the Weed Science Society of Nigeria, Ife, Nigeria
Otsamo O, Adjers G, Hadi TS, Kuusipalo J, Tuomela K and Vuokko R (in press) Effect of site preparation and initial fertilization on the establishment and growth of four plantation tree species used in reforestation of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. dominated grassland. Forest Ecology and Management
Panchal YC (1977) Studies on chemical control of Imperata cylindrica (Linn.) P. Beauv. Proceedings of the Sixth Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia
Pandley D (1992) Assessment of tropical forest plantation resource. Department of Forest Survey, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, 100 pp (draft)
Parker C (1982) The activity of some new herbicides and mixtures on tropical perennial grass weeds. Proceedings of the 34th International Symposium on Crop Protection, Mededelingen van de Faculteit Landbouwwetenschappen, Rijksuniversiteit Gent, Belgium, 47: 51–60
Paul, R and Elmore, CD (1984) Weeds and the C4 syndrome. Weeds Today 15: 3–4
Pohjonrn, VM (1992) Reclamation of degraded South-East Asian forest lands. Draft Project Document II. World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
Rao, VS and Kotoky, B (1981) Enhancement of herbicide activity through solubilization. Indian Journal of Weed Science 13: 42–49
Rasathurai, M (1960) Lalang — to oil or not to oil. The Planter, Malaysia 36: 76–77, 87
Rissanan H (1994) Reforestation as an investment. In: Tambupolon A, Otsamo A, Kuusipalo J and Jaskari H (eds) From Grasslands to Forest: Profitable and Sustainable Reforestation of Alang-alang Grasslands in Indonesia. Draft proceedings of a seminar held in Jakarta, Indonesia, 11–12 January 1994
Sajise PE (1972) Evaluation of cogon (Imperata cylindrica (L.). Beauv.) as a seral stage in Philippine vegetational succession. In: Jensen CL and Pfeifers S (1989)
Santiago A (1965) Studies on the autecology of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. Proceedings of 9th International Grassland Congress, Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1965, pp 409–502
Seth, AK (1984) The use of ‘Gramoxone’ for lalang control. The Planter, Malaysia 45: 156–161
Sherman, G (1980) What ‘Green Desert’? The Ecology of Batak Grassland Farming in Indonesia. Indonesia 29: 113–149
Shim PS (1993) Imperata cylindrica grasslands in Malaysia. In: Vandenbelt RJ (ed) Imperata Grasslands in Southeast Asia: Summary Reports from the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Rep. No. 18, pp 19–29. Multipurpose Tree Species Network Research Series. Forestry/Fuelwood Research and Development (F/FRED) Project. Winrock International and US Agency for International Development
Soedarsan, A, Warga-Delem, K and Suhender, E (1978) Dalapon-Mg (Dowpon M) and buthidazole (Ravage) as lalang eradicants. Menrara Perkebunan 46: 81–86
Soerianegara, I (1980) The alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica) (L.) Beauv. problem in forestry. In: Proceedings of BIOTROP Workshop on Alang-alang, Bogor, 27–29 July 1976, Special Publication No. 5, BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia, pp 237–242
Soerjani, M (1970) Alang-alang [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.] (1812) pattern of growth as related to its problem of control. BIOTROP Bull No. 1, 88 pp, BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Soerjani, M and Soemarwoto, O (1969) The study of alang-alang [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.] rhizome buds. PANS 15(3): 407–415
Temmes, M (1992) Reforestation Operations Manual for Alang-alang Grasslands. Reforestation and Tropical Forest Management Project (ATA-267). Enso Forest Development, Finnish International Development Agency, Ministry of Forestry, Jakarta, Indonesia
Terry, PJ and Bacon, PS (1983) Annual Report of the Overseas Development Administration Imperata Project — R.3703, March 1982–March 1983. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Thomson, L (1993) Review of provenance performance and seed sources for tree species in timber plantation project. Timber Plantation Project ADB loan No. 100 — INO. Ministry of Forestry, Jakarta, Indonesia
Tjitrosemito, S (1991) The use of herbicide to establish an agricultural production system in Imperata dominated land. PhD Dissertation, Kobe University, Japan
Tjitrosemito S, Supriyanto, Rafiuddin R, and Mawardi I (1994) Management of land dominated by Imperata cylindrica. Poster at Fourth International Conference on Plant Protection in the Tropics, March 28–31, 1994. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tjitrosemito, S, Utomo, IS and Sastroutomo, SS (1986) The efficacy of imazapyr to control alang-alang [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.]. BIOTROP Techl Bull 1, 1–7. BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Townson, JK (1989a) Weed-wiping of glyphosate and imazapyr to control Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel in Indonesian smallholdings. Aspects of Applied Biology 21: 239–240
Townson JK (1989b) Weedwiping of imazapyr and glyphosate to control Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel. Abstracts of the Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Seoul, South Korea
Townson, JK (1990) Influence of formulation and application variables in relation to the performance of glyphosate and imazapyr for control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeuschel. PhD Thesis, University of Bristol, UK, 312 pp
Townson, JK and Price, CE (1987a) Tropical weed control: an approach to optimizing herbicide performance with very low volume application. Aspects of Applied Biology 14: 305–306
Townson JK and Price CE (1987b) Control of Imperata cylindrica and Echinochloa crus-galli: an approach to improving the performance of imazapyr in very low volume spray application. Proceedings of the 11th Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Taipei, Taiwan, China, 311–325
Turvey NG (1993) Reforestation of alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica grasslands). Unpublished report on the measurement of the forest plantation research trials at Teluk Sirih on Pulau Laut, Kalimantan Selatan, Indonesia
Turvey NG (1994) Afforestation and rehabilitation of Imperata grasslands in Southeast Asia: identification of priorities for research, education, training and extension. ACIAR Technical Reports No. 28, 52 pp
Utomo M (1989) Value of crop rotations on soil properties and crop yields under various tillage managements. Proceedings of International Seminar on Agricultural Change and Development in Southeast Asia (ISACDESA), Jakarta, Indonesia
Utomo M (1992) Teknologi olah tanah konservasi untuk usahatani berkelanjutan di daerah transmigrasi. Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengembangan Trans. No. 5, 21–26
Utomo M (1995) Sistem olah tanah konservasi dan pertanian berkelanjutan. Sarasehan tentang Kebijakan Pertanian Berkelanjutan di Kantor Menteri Negara Lingkungan Hidup, Jakarta, Indonesia, 9 March 1995, 25 pp
Utomo M, Suprapto H and Sunyoto (1989) Influence of tillage and nitrogen fertilization on soil nitrogen, decomposition of alang-alang (Imperata cylindrica) and corn production of alang-alang land. In: van der Heide J (ed) Proceedings of International Seminar on Nutrient for Food Crop Production in Tropical Farming Systems, pp 367–373
Widyatmoko and Ryanto H (1986) Weed Management in newly cultivated land, an experience in sugarcane plantation, Gunungmadu Plantation, Lampung. Proceedings of VIIIth Indonesian Weed Science Conference, pp 143–151
Wilcutt JW, Truelove B and Davis DE (1983) The propagation and growth of cogongrass [Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.] and torpedograss (Panicum repens L.). Proceedings 36th Southern Weed Science Society Meeting, pp 349–350
Wong PW (1981) Evaluation of the isopropylamine salt of glyphosate for Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. control in oil palm. Proceedings of the Eighth Asian-Pacific Weed Science Society Conference, Bangalore, India, pp 273–276
World Bank (1988) Java and Watershed Management. Washington, DC, USA
Yeoh, CH (1982) Control of Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. (lalang) in Malaysia's smallholdings. Proceedings of BIOTROP Workshop on Alang-alang. BIOTROP Special Publication 5, 89–111, BIOTROP, Bogor, Indonesia
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Terry, P.J., Adjers, G., Akobundu, I.O. et al. Herbicides and mechanical control of Imperata cylindrica as a first step in grassland rehabilitation. Agroforest Syst 36, 151–179 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142872
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142872