Buffel Grass

Physical

Physical removal involves cutting out and extracting small populations and seedlings with a hoe, mattock or shovel, ensuring the entire plant—including dormant buds—is removed. Any partial removal, such as slashing, must be paired with herbicide application, and treatments applied after rainfall are often more effective.
Large‑scale mechanical removal can encourage buffel grass regrowth from remaining vegetative structures and from seed germination triggered by soil disturbance. Physical removal is most effective for immature plants in isolated populations; mature plants have a resilient crown and deep root system that make complete extraction difficult.
For the best chance of reducing or eradicating Cenchrus ciliaris, remove plants before seed set using a combination of herbicide treatment and mechanical removal, followed by regular monitoring and repeated treatments. Entirely removed plants should be burnt or buried.

Chemical

​​Herbicide treatments must be applied on foliage during active growth (leaves bright and glossy – refer to table displaying active growth periods, adaption may be necessary depending on location/environment). The active growth period is dependent on climate and can be unpredictable or shorter in arid/ semi-arid regions. Be wary when applying herbicide onto foliage that you are contacting live foliage, as dead foliage can act as a shield causing the herbicide to be ineffective – therefore single applications will unlikely be sufficient.  

Non-selective foliar herbicides
Spot spraying only is recommended to avoid off target damage, particularly as buffel grass can grow very densely.  Apply to actively growing leaves - slashing 2-3 weeks before spraying can promote fresh growth and will increase effectiveness.
Glyphosate 360g/L (100ml/10L) or Glyphosate 450g/L (50ml/10L).  Add 2% pine oil for seed destruction.

Selective foliar herbicides
Spot spray with Halaxyfop (520g/L) at 16ml/10L + spray oil at 50ml/10L
Fluazifop-p (128 g/L) at 160ml/10L can be used on seedlings and young plants but is minimally affective on older plants.

Selective soil active herbicides
Flupropanate (745g/L) is a soil active herbicide and can gradually kill the plants over 2-12 months. It bonds tightly to soil particles, but buffel grass will gradually absorb it from the soil.  While residual in the soil it will kill buffel seedlings.  Fluproponate is grass selective, and will affect all other grasses while still active in the soil.  Recommended for large areas due to the application method.  Spray close to soil around plants at a rate of 30ml/10L plus wetting agent.

Granular flupropanate can be used in higher‑rainfall areas (>400 mm), applied at 15 kg/ha. However, granular formulations are generally less effective than foliar applications for buffel grass control.  Granular forms should not be used in areas where high rainfall can result in soil run off

Managerial

Burning can assist buffel grass management, but only when combined with other treatments and followed by strict post‑burn monitoring. Fire is most effective in high‑density buffel grass stands, where it can reduce biomass and destroy surface seed; however, it will not kill mature tussocks. Burning also stimulates germination and tussock regrowth, making follow‑up herbicide treatment essential 3–4 weeks after the burn, once sufficient green leaf is present for foliar uptake.
Avoid burning for 1–2 years after applying flupropanate, as fire reduces soil residual activity (DEW, SA). Buffel grass burns extremely hot, so additional caution is required, and local government must be consulted before undertaking any fire‑based control.