Evaluations of Improved Forage Legume Potential for Pasture Land Improvement in Low Land and Mid Land Areas of East Shewa and West Arsi Zone

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the improved forage legume potential for pasture land improvement in low-land and mid-land areas of East Shewa and West Arsi zone of Oromia regional state during 2021/22 planting seasons. The natural pasture grazing land was selected to establish the experiment. The experiment was undertaken with RCBD design. The ripping was done before sowing and animal manures were applied before establishment to facilitate the germination of legumes forage. The experiment has four treatments with three replications including the control. The plot size was 4 m * 3 m and the distance between the plot and block were 1m and 1.5m respectively. The sample was taken by quadrant of 1 m * 1 m, weighed, and inserted into a paper bag. The sub-sample was taken for dry matter determination and biomass estimation. Laboratory chemical analyses for some of the major parameters have been done at ATARC. The feed sample was analyzed for dry matter (DM) and crude protein (PC) using AOAC (2000) method. The statistical analysis was undertaken by ANOVA procedures with Tukey's Studentized Range (HSD) Tests to separate the mean values for each parameter at P<0.05. Analysis of variance revealed that variations of sites and treatments had showed a significant effect at (P<0.05) on dry matter yield and ADL. In addition, the site effects had showed significant effects on leaf to steam ratio, percentage of dry matter, percentage of ash and coverages. The ANOVA result showed that there was no interactions effect (P<0.05) for all parameters. In addition, the dry matter have significance difference (P<0.05) between the treatments due to different legumes integration. The integrated siratro (T4) and desmodium (T3) have higher mean value of dry matter than the other treatments. Of the total dry matter, the Desmodium have 10.88% proportion while the Siratro have about 49.57%. In general, improved forage legumes integration result indicated that as to be appropriate option for natural pasture improvement in terms of quantity and quality. Thus, of the treatments the demodium and siratro components have higher dry matter and crude protein the T3 and T4 were recommended for natural pasture improvement in terms quantity and quality for lowland and midland agroecology.