Imperata cylindrica is a component of native pastures and its grasslands cover more than 200 million ha in Asia. It is in the top ten major noxious weed in the world and it invades 35 different crops including rice, cotton, coffee, tea, oil palm, coconut and rubber plantations (GISD, 2010). It is difficult to control. Chemical methods are generally used (Gbehounou et al., 2000), but more sustainable practices are being investigated such as mechanical control (Gbehounou et al., 2000), shade-based control (Macdicken et al., 1996), flooding (FAO, 2010) and heavy grazing (Ecocrop, 2010; FAO, 2010). Imperata cylindrica is fire-resistant due to its persistent underground rhizomes and its current dominance in certain areas is thought to have been caused by slash-and-burn agriculture (Falvey, 1981). It competes very successfully with other species. Calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides), Stylosanthes guianensis and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) may reduce its invasiveness but some constraints of Mucuna cultivation limit its efficiency (Gbehounou et al., 2000; Friday et al., 1999; Sajise et al., 1975).
Imperata cylindrica may be useful for soil erosion control due to the fast growth of its rhizomes. It may also have some potential in silvi-pastoralist systems as it can grow in a relatively low light. For example it is a suitable grass in coconut plantations (Senanayake, 1995).