Tropical pasture grasses cover a wide range of species. The environments in which they are grown include the wet tropics and the semi-arid tropics. Most of the species are perennials and are characterized by possessing the efficient C4 photosynthesis pathway. They are primarily used by grazing animals for meat, milk, or fibre production. Tropical grasses offer high water use, high production and improved sustainability outcomes. They have the potential to produce large amounts of plant dry matter in a growing season, provided that they have adequate soil water and nutrients.