DACTYLIS GLOMERATA: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, LIFE CYCLE, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

Dactylis glomerata is an important forage evergreen grass belonging to the Poaceae family. Commonly known as dactyl, blue grass, ball grass or garden grass, it is a natural herb of the temperate regions of Eurasia and North Africa.

It is a cespitose plant with erect stems that reaches 30-150 cm in height, has linear leaves and foliar sheaths compressed at the base. The flowers are grouped into ovate paniculate inflorescences emerging from a basal peduncle, the spikelets are compressed and the glumes are short, acute and lanceolate.

Dactylis glomerata. Source: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Its natural habitat is located in prairies or grasslands in a wide range of climatic conditions, from low altitude areas to alpine elevations. In addition, it grows in dry and warm climates in the Mediterranean region under dry grazing conditions.

It is considered an excellent forage grass, due to its great adaptability, high yield per hectare and excellent content of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. Its rapid growth and regrowth capacity make it ideal for rotary grazing, in the same way it is used to control erosion in burned or logged land.

General characteristics

Appearance

Bluegrass is a robust and upright species that grows in isolated clumps, has a deep root system and grows between 15-140 cm in height. The glabrous and somewhat flattened stems have an erect or slightly prostrate growth, the pods are compressed, closed and keel, the deltoid ligule and apiculate.

Leaves

The folded, glabrous leaves are 10-60 cm long and 3-15 mm wide, with a flat blade with a "V" section and an acuminate apex. Soft and smooth texture when young, rough and hard when ripe, they are bluish-green or glaucous in color and the central vein is very evident.

flowers

The inflorescence is a rigid, erect and branching panicle on a basal peduncle 30-40 cm long. At its end there are short and divergent racemes that contain numerous glomeruli with spikelets, open at anthesis or compressed when ripe, bearded at the tips.

Fruit

The fruit is a small caryopsis, similar to an achene with a groove on one of its faces. The caryopsis is closely enclosed by the lemma and the palea. It generally has a high percentage of germination.

Inflorescences of Dactylis glomerata. Source: Kristian Peters - Fabelfroh 08:52, 20 September 2005 (UTC) / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Division: Magnoliophyta

- Class: Liliopsida

- Order: Poales

- Family: Poaceae

- Subfamily: Pooideae

- Tribe: Poeae

- Subtribe: Dactylidinae

- Genus: Dactylis

- Species: Dactylis glomerata L.

Etymology

- Dactylis: the name of the genus derives from the Greek "dactylos" which means "finger" in relation to the shape of the panicles.

- glomerata: the specific adjective in Latin means "agglomerated or grouped."

Subspecies

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. glomerate

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. himalayensis

- D. glomerata subsp. Hispanic

- D. glomerata subsp. ibizensis

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. judaica

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. juncinella

- D. glomerata subsp. lobata

- D. glomerata subsp. lusitanica

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. Marine

- Dactylis glomerata subsp. santai

- D. glomerata subsp. smithii

- D. glomerata subsp. woronowii

Dactylis glomerata leaves. Source: Kristian Peters - Fabelfroh 08:50, 20 September 2005 (UTC) / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Habitat and distribution

Blue grass is a forage grass that develops on limestone soils with a high content of organic matter, does not tolerate heavy soils and supports a certain salinity. Its superficial roots are sensitive to waterlogging, it tolerates drought and shading, does not withstand temperatures below 5 ºC and remains productive during autumn.

It is a native species of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia and North Africa, it develops naturally in the Mediterranean basin and the Atlantic coast. Its cultivation as a forage species has spread worldwide, both in the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere.

In temperate climate regions of the northern hemisphere, it is common from Canada and the United States in North America to Africa, Asia and Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula. In the southern hemisphere it is located from Australia and New Zealand, to Chile and Argentina in South America.

Dactylis glomerata plant. Source: Rasbak / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Lifecycle

Dactylis glomerata is a perennial life cycle, high hardiness species that thrives in a wide variety of climates and soils. During the establishment it presents a slow growth, however, from the second year it becomes a very competitive fast growing plant.

Propagation is done by means of seeds or by vegetative methods through rhizomes or plant division. It is recommended to carry out an adequate preparation of the land to avoid competition with native species, and to carry out sowing at the beginning of the rainy season.

It is generally sown in association with other forage grasses or legumes such as Arrhenatherum elatius (oats), Festuca elatior (fescue), Lolium perenne (ryegrass) or Phleum pratense (bohordillo). The seed can be broadcast by mixing Trifolium repens or Trifolium pratense (white or red clover), or using a seeder at a distance of 15-35 cm between rows.

In some regions with low rainfall and where an irrigation system is used, bluegrass is planted only in rows 60-75 cm apart. Under this system, it can be interspersed with alfalfa in alternate rows at 30-35 cm, to obtain a silage of high nutritional value.

The seed requires a pre-germination treatment that consists of stratifying at a low temperature (5-8 ºC) for 12-15 days. Once sown, it must be rolled or covered with plant material, trying to place it at a depth of 0.5-2 cm and keep the soil moist until germination.

The ideal temperature for the germination process ranges between 20-30 ºC. The bluegrass plantation will be ready for the first cut 5-6 months after the plantation is established.

Illustration of Dactylis glomerata. Source: Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé / Public domain

Care

- Bluegrass is a forage herb that requires full sun exposure. However, it adapts to partial shade conditions as long as it receives direct light throughout the day.

- The recommended sowing density in association with certain forage legumes is 3.5-10.5 kg / ha.

- It requires loose soils of calcareous origin, with a high content of organic matter, well drained but that maintain sufficient humidity.

- As a forage crop it requires regular watering throughout the year. Although it is drought tolerant, frequent application of irrigation increases its growth and development. It is recommended to apply 3 irrigations weekly during the summer and 1-2 irrigations the rest of the year.

- At the beginning of spring it is advisable to apply organic fertilizers, compost of plant material, guano or worm castings.

- Although legumes provide a percentage of nitrogen necessary for their development, it is essential to carry out frequent fertilizations to increase their yield.

- Mowing should be done at the end of spring, when the formation of the spikes begins. It is not appropriate to mow after flowering, as it loses quality and digestibility.

- Bluegrass tolerates grazing, as long as it is not intensive. For this reason, it is advisable to perform rotary grazing, to allow time for the grass to regrow.

References

1. Álvarez, NR, Laso, G., & Luaces, MH (1999). Dactylis glomerata (Gramineae) in the Iberian northwest. In Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid (Vol. 57, No. 2, p. 427). Royal Botanical Garden.
2. Dactylis glomerata (2019) Wikipedia. The free encyclopedia. Recovered at: es.wikipedia.org
3. Dactylis glomerata (2018) Argentine National Pest Surveillance and Monitoring System. Recovered at: sinavimo.gov.ar
4. Herrera, C. (2019) Blue orchoro - Dactylis glomerata L. Forestal Maderero. Recovered in: Forestalmaderero.com
5. Popay, I. (2015) Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot). Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand. Recovered at: cabi.org
6. Sánchez, M. (2018) Dactyl (Dactylis glomerata). Gardening On. Recovered in: jardineriaon.com
7. Sánchez Márquez, M. (2009). Study of the endophytic mycobiota associated with the grasses Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus, Ammophila arenaria and Elymus farctus. University of Salamanca. Faculty of Biology. Department of Microbiology and Genetics.