Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange
Abstract
Teff (Eragrostis tef Zucc. Trotter) is a major cereal crop in Ethiopia and has been grown in other African countries as a hay crop. Teff is a warm-season, annual grass that has rapid seed germination and seedling development. It also is well adapted to dry climates. These qualities indicate that teff could be used in this region of the U.S. as a supplemental forage during periods when other forage supplies are diminished. In South Dakota, late summer is when forage supplies are typically low. Teff has been marketed recently in South Dakota under the name “Dessie Summer Lovegrass.” This marketing campaign has created interest among producers in the crop’s forage potential. The following information summarizes research conducted at SDSU, over several years, on the forage potential of teff