Cover crop and soil quality improver
In the USA, carpet grass is often referred to as a good cover crop and soil erosion controller for shaded sloping fields. It is much valued in shaded orchards of Hawaii (Smith et al., 2002). It improves soil structure, and increases water infiltration rates and soil water capacity (Smith et al., 2002).
Weed control and weed potential
Once established, carpet grass smothers out weeds with its dense sward growth habit, making it a good tool for reduced, or no chemical weed control (Smith et al., 2002). However, carpet grass may become a weed in low fertility soils (FAO, 2012; Cook et al., 2005).