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STUDIES OF VEGETATIVE BEHAVIOR AND CLIMATIC EFFECTS ON SOME PASTURE GRASSES GROWING WILD IN PAKISTAN

TARIQ HUSAIN¹, ASRAR HUSSAIN² AND MOINUDDIN AHMED³

Abstract: Eight genera and 12 species of plants viz., Apluda mutica L., Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng, Chrysopogon aucheri (Boiss.) Stapf., C. serrulatus Trin., Cymbopogon caesius (Nees ex Hook. & Arn.) Stapf., C. jwarancusa (Jones,) Schult, C. martinii (Roxb.) Wat., C. commutatus (Steud.) Stapf., Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf., Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf., Themeda anathera (Nees) Hack and Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers, were collected from different climatic regions of Pakistan. They were replanted in a nursery at Karachi to investigate their vegetative and climatic behaviours. Although growing m different habitats and conditions, these pasture grasses are quite able to grow in monoclimate condition successfully. Hyparrhenia and Themeda showed slight deviation. Once they established by proper irrigation it helped them to survive in adverse conditions also. The vegetative growth occurs through runners, root-stocks and small rhizomes. The erect and dropping new clones / branches also shoots arise from vegetative buds in the rainy season which is most suitable.

¹Hamdard University, Muhamamd Bin Qasim Avenue, Karachi-74600, Pakistan

²Department of Botany, Govt. D.J. Science College Karachi, 74200 Pakistan

³Department of Botany, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science & Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus Karachi-75300, Pakistan.