EFFECTS OF SPACING ON DRY MATTER YIELDS OF F1PENNISETUM HYBRIDS AND ELEPHANT GRASS (PENNISETUM PURPUREUM SCHUM)

Abstract

Crown splits of three bulrush millet (Pennisetum americanum) (L) K Schum) x elephant grass F1 hybrid genotypes and an improved local strain of elephant grass were set every 30, 45, 60 and 90 cm in rows 90 cm apart to ascertain the effects of spacing on forage dry matter (DM) yield. Plants were harvested by cutting 30 cm above ground level every 5 weeks during the late rainy season of the first year (4 harvests) and the rainy session of the second year (7 harvests). There were significant differences in DM yields between spacing treatments, as well as between genotypes. When averaged over genotypes, total DM yield in the two years of study at 90 x 30, 90 X 45, 90 x 60 and 90 x 90 cm were 31.16, 27.27, 25.75 and 23.13 t/ha, respectively. Genotype x spacing interaction for DM yield was not significant. Spacing, in general, had no appreciable effects on forage quality so that linear regression analysis revealed no relationship between spacing on one hand and DM content, percent leaf, crude protein (CP) content, and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), on the other. The results indicated that close spacing can be utilized to increase DM yields of F1 Pennisetum hybrids and elephant grass without detriment to quality.