INTRODUCTION
Panicum maximum is indigenous to the
subtropical areas of Southern Africa where it
occurs mainly in the sub habitat under trees
(Pieterse et al. 1997). It is a tall vigorous
perennial grass that grows in tropical and
subtropical areas with more than 900 mm of
rainfall on a wide range of soils. The deep,
dense and fibrous root system allow guinea
grass to survive quite long drought periods,
but it performs best on well-drained soils of
good fertility in high rainfall regions
(Humphreys and Patridge 1995). Panicum
maximum is tolerant of shade and fire, but