Dry Matter Yield Potentials of Some Gamba Grass (<i>Andropogon gayanus</i> Kunth.) Accessions in the Southern Guinea Savanna of Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

Benue state of Nigeria has a high potential for ruminant livestock production with its extensive grass cover of the southern guinea savanna, dominate by gamba grass (<i>Andropogon gayanus</i> kunth). However, this and other grasses have not been evaluated for forage utilization in the state. Investigations were therefore conducted to identify suitable genotypes among the local and introduced grasses. Forage dry matter yields of 20 accessions of <i>A. gayanus,</i> from Benue and neighbouring Kogi states were evaluated at three locations in Benue state: Makurdi (7°43’N, 8°32’E). Otupka (7°04’N, 7°39’E) and Yandev (7°22’N, 9°02’E). forage was harvested every six weeks during the rainy season over two years in a completely randomized design with three replicates. There are significant differences in annual rainy season DM yields of the 20 <i>A. gayanus</i> accessions. At Makurdi, DM yields in t/ha varied from 4.7 (Acc.9) to 14.4 (Acc.2), while at Otukpa yields ranged from 7.7 (Acc.4) to 22.3 (Acc.12) and 5.7 (Acc.9) to 14.9 (Acc.18) at Yandev. Average DM yields over the three sites varied from 1.9 (Acc.3 and Acc.6) to 13.4 (Acc.10). based on the DM production, accessions 10, 11 and 18 may be considered for exploitation in Benue state.