Fodder yield, quality and NPK uptake of napier bajra hybrid as influenced by different planting materials and weed infestation durations

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate fodder yield, quality and NPK uptake of Napier bajra hybrid (Pennisetum purpureum×Pennisetum glaucum) as influenced by different planting material and weed infestation durations at Forage Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India during 2014 and 2015. The experiment was laid out in split plot design keeping two planting material (root slips and stem cutting s) in main plot and weed infestation durations (weed infested till initial 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 days after planting (DAP) and weed free for initial 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 days after planting) in sub plots. Root slips recorded higher (P=0.05) green (417.7 and 433.5 q ha−1) and dry (78.7 and 82.6 q ha−1) fodder yield over stem cutting in the years 2014 and 2015, respectively. Treatment kept weed free throughout the season increased the green (481.0 and 491.1 q ha−1) and dry (84.8 and 87.7 q ha−1) fodder yield, quality parameters and NPK uptake that was at par with treatment kept weed free up to 40 days, 30 days and kept weedy up to 10 DAP. The reduction in green fodder yield in control (weedy check) was observed by 44.6 and 41.7% than weed free conditions during 2014 and 2015, respectively among different weed infestation durations. The quality parameters of crop were better keeping the crop weed free from 10 to 30 days after planting. The uptake of NPK uptake by crop planted with root slips increased tcompared to when stem cuttings were used as planting material. The increase in N uptake was 25.6 and 23.7%, P uptake 31.9 and 29.9% and K uptake 23.5 and 22.9% by crop planted through root slips over stem cuttings in 2014 and 2015, respectively.