Abstract: The effect of shade on the growth and development of Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) (L.) Pers.) was determined under glasshouse conditions. The plants were grown from shoot propagules in full light, under different layers of green netting (provides 42, 58 and 77% shade) and under plants canopy {maize (65% shade) and soybean (67% shade)} for 42 to 84 days. Results have shown that continuous shading severely reduced the number of tillers, leaf area, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight and total dry weight of C. dactylon. After 84 days continuous shading, plants grown in 42, 58 and 77% shade and with maize (65% shade) or soybean (67% shade) yielded only 25, 21, 7, 11 and 15%, respectively as much total dry weight as the plants grown in full light. Shading at later growth stages also reduced growth of C. dactylon but early shading followed by full light at later stages had less shade effect. For example at the final harvest, plants that were transferred from 77% shade to full light at day 42 after planting had 45% of the total dry weight of the plants in the continuous full light treatment, but plants transferred from full light to 77% shade at day 42 had only 27% as much. Constant shading reduced Dry Matter Production (DMP), Net Assimilation Rate (NAR), Relative Growth Rate (RGR) and Leaf Area Duration (LAD) but increased Leaf Area Ratio (LAR). Plants shaded after 42 days in full light maintained larger LAD then continuously shaded plants but had similar or lower NAR values to them during the shaded period. Early shaded plants had slightly larger NAR than the plants that were maintained continuously in the full light treatment and increased their LAD compared to the continuously shaded plants.