Guide to Identifying and Controlling Fall Panicum and Paragrass in Sugarcane

• •Fall Panicum is a summer annual grass that can reach 7 feet in height and is identified by a zigzagged growth pattern and swollen, bent nodes.
• •Fall Panicum seedlings have hairs on the lower leaf surface, while mature plants have glossy, hairless lower leaf surfaces.
• •Fall Panicum can be controlled in sugarcane using preemergence applications of Prowl.
• •Postemergence control options for Fall Panicum include Asulox, Evik, and Envoke.
• •Paragrass (also known as maiden cane) is a perennial that grows in moist to wet areas, often spreading from ditch banks into cultivated fields.
• •Paragrass stems can reach 3 feet tall in open areas or over 12 feet when leaning on other vegetation.
• •Paragrass is best controlled in sugarcane through spot treatment with glyphosate.
• •The document explicitly states that UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the specific trade-name products mentioned.

Local sugarcane farmers and agricultural land managers can use these identification and treatment protocols to manage weed infestations that may impact crop yields.