Abstract
A comparative agronomical trial was conducted to know the effect of two different soil types on growth and production performance of BLRI Napier-4 fodder production at BLRI regional station, Baghabari, Shahzadpur, Sirajganj. Soil components are the determinant factors for growing any crops or fodders. Soil samples from sandy soil and normal soil (loamy) were analazed for soil pH, nitrogen, organic matter, salinity, Ca, K, S, Zn, Pb, Co, Mg, Fe etc. at the Central Laboratory of Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI), Dhaka. Data were recorded on plant height, stem length, leaf length, number of leaf per stem, number of till per hill, yield per hill and total biomass yield per plot. Plant height, stem length and leaf length produced in normal soil were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those produced in sandy soil. Irrespective of soil type, the plant height, stem length, leaf length, yield per hill and biomass yield per plot produced in second harvest were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those produced in first harvest. But, number of leaf per stem and number of till per hill did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between two cuttings. It can be concluded from the present findings that BLRI Napier-4 cultivar may be produced in the sandy soil.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2017, 3(2): 182-185
Highlights
Availability and quality of green grasses are the major constraints of dairy cattle production in Bangladesh especially in the baghabari milk producing areas
The analyzed results of soil composition was given in Table 1 which clearly showed the differences of soil constituents between normal (Loamy) and sandy soil
All other minerals were comparatively higher in normal soil than that of sandy soil which clearly indicates the sandy loam texture
Summary
Availability and quality of green grasses are the major constraints of dairy cattle production in Bangladesh especially in the baghabari milk producing areas. Perennial grass grown widely as a fodder crop and feed for the cut-and-carry zero-grazing dairy systems (Bayer, 1990) and constitutes up to 80 % of forage for smallholder dairy farms (Stall et al, 1987) It is the forage of choice in the tropics and worldwide (Hanna et al, 2004) due to its desirable traits such as tolerance to drought and a wide range of soil conditions, and high photosynthetic and water-use efficiency (Anderson et al, 2008). Napier grass [Pennisetum purpureum (Schum.)], known as elephant grass, is a deep-rooted high yielding perennial bunch grass that is native to eastern and central Africa (Boonman, 1993) It is the most popular perennial fodder recommended for the intensively production. Considering the above points this study was conducted with a view to know the effect of different soil types on growth and production performances
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
