This grass is also of interest in agriculture because it is the main wild ancestor of
teff (
Eragrostis tef), a
staple cereal in some regions and of particular importance in
Ethiopia. The close connection between the two grasses is supported by genetic evidence. They are also very similar in
morphology, sometimes indistinguishable. The most consistent difference is that
E. pilosa undergoes spikelet shattering, the disintegration of the seedhead that is the first step in
seed dispersal. Teff heads do not shatter, making the plant easier to manage as an agricultural crop.
E. pilosa has been occasionally harvested as a grain in Ethiopia, but only in times of desperation. The majority of
Eragrostis species are
polyploid, with more than two sets of
chromosomes;
E. pilosa is an
allotetraploid, containing the genes of other species, suggesting it is of
hybrid origin. Teff is also allotetraploid. Fertile hybrids between the two have been bred. ==Ecology==