Family: Poaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability
  
• Grows and able to spread in tropical regions
  
• Naturalized in Australia and North America (Mexico and SE USA), but no evidence in the Hawaiian Islands to date
  
• A weedy grass and minor agricultural weed reported to impact quality and yield of certain crops
  
• Other Urochloa species are invasive weeds
  
• Can accumulate toxic levels of nitrate and should not be fed to livestock if the grass has been stressed by drought or cold conditions
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Annual/perennial life cycle (able to reach maturity in one growing season)
  
• Seeds dispersed by cultivation, possibly water, and potentially by animals or as a crop contaminant
  
• Seeds may form a persistent seed bank

Low Risk Traits:

• A domesticated crop with cultivated forms that have greatly reduced dispersibility
  
• Weedy impacts appear to be restricted to certain crops
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Valued pasture grass and source of feed for birds
  
• Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread)
  
• Herbicides, mowing and potentially fire may provide effective control