Hybrid Napier Research Articles

KKM 1: A new high yielding cumbu - napier hybrid grass for southern districts of Tamil Nadu

The presently available cumbu napier hybrid grass varieties Co 1, Co 2 and Co 3 are suitable for black soils under irrigated ecosystem. The new variety KKM 1 was developed for southern districts of Tamil Nadu under irrigated garden land red soil areas. It is highly leafy with long and broad soft leaves as compared to Co 2 and Co 3 with quick regeneration capacity. It had recorded an average green fodder yield of 288 t ha' yr' in station trials with a dry matter production of 16:4 t ha'. KKM 1 has a very low oxalate content compared to Co 2 and Co 3.

EFFECT OF ORGANIC, INORGANIC SOURCES OF NITROGEN AND MOLYBDENUM ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF BAJRA - NAPIER HYBRID GRASS (CO.2)

Investigations were undertaken to study the effect of organic (FYM) and inorganic sources (urea. CAN) of nitrogen on yield and quality of Bajra Napier hybrid grass. The results showed that more number of tillers and highest dry matter yield was obtained with the application of 75 kg N na as urea with 2.5t of FYM ha. As regard to forage quality. Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) proved superior for percentage of crude protein content, while crude protein yield was found to be maximum when 75 kg N ha was applied as urea with 2.5t on FYM ha. Foliar spraying of molybdenum had no influence on the growth and yield, but it had significantly influenced the crude pusein in all cuttings.

EFFECT OF ORGANIC, INORGANIC SOURCES OF NITROGEN AND MOLYBDENUM ON THE QUALITY OF BAJRA-NAPIER HYBRID GRASS (CO 2)

Field experiment was conducted at the Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the effect of organic (FYM) and inorganic sources (Urea, CAN) of nitrogen with and without molybdenum on the quality characters of CO2 Bajra Napier hybrid grass under irrigated condition. The results indicated that application of 75 kg N ha in the from of urea with 2.5 t of FYM ha recorded higher crude fibre, crude fat and total ash content than the other treatments. The interaction effect did not influence the crude fibre, crude fat and the total ash content.

Identification of superior pearl millet by napier hybrids and napiers in Zimbabwe

During 1988 and 1989, over 200 pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] by napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) hybrids were developed by SADC/ICRISAT in Zimbabwe to provide superior pearl millet by napier hybrids especially for semi-arid rainfed regions. Eighteen such pearl millet by napier hybrids (SDPN), 20 napiers (SDPP), and two checks, Bana grass (pearl millet x napier hybrid), and Green Gold Harare (Panicum sp.) were evaluated at Aisleby (irrigated) and Lucydale (rainfed) locations during 1990/92. There were six cuttings (over 12 months) at Aisleby, and seven cuttings (over 16 months) at Lucydale. Among pearl millet by napier hybrids, SDPN 29 produced the highest total dry matter (DM) yield over cuttings at both locations. SDPN 29 produced 38 t total DM yield ha-1 (38% more than the best check, Bana grass) at Aisleby, and 12.5 t total DM yield ha-1 at Lucydale (39% more than the best check, Bana grass). Based on green fodder yield, DM yield, crude protein %, and in-vitro DM digestibility, two hybrids, SDPN 3 and SDPN 29 were selected and the cuttings were supplied to several hundred farmers in Zimbabwe. Among napiers, SDPP 19 and SDPP 10 were the highest yielding entries. During the dry period (April to October) at Lucydale, both SDPNs and SDPPs plants continued to grow and some entries produced DM yields of over 600 kg ha-1 per cut. This is the period when the forage is most needed. There were no significant differences for total DM yield over cuttings between highest yielding SDPP and highest yielding SDPN at both locations. The variation in napiers for different traits suggests that the napiers can be improved for forage quality and yield.

Root competition for phosphorus between the tree and herbaceous components of silvopastoral systems in Kerala, India

Root competition in polyculture systems involving combinations of four tree species and four grass species was evaluated based on 32P recovery by each species in mixed and sole crop situations. The tree species were: Leucaena leucocephala, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia auriculiformis and Ailanthus triphysa, and the grass species were: Pennisetum purpureum (hybrid napier), Brachiaria ruziziensis (congo signal), Panicum maximum (guinea grass) and Zea mexicana (teosinte). Four lateral distance (25 and 50 cm) and depth (15 and 50 cm) treatments were included in the study to characterize the relative fine root distribution of trees. Absorption of 32P was monitored through radioassay of leaves. Regardless of the species, 32P uptake from 50 cm soil depth was lower than that of 15 cm depth. Absorption of 32P from 50 cm lateral distance was also less than that of 25 cm distance in Acacia and Casuarina. Grass species in sole crop situations absorbed more 32P than in mixed systems. None of the grass species when grown in association with tree components affected the absorption of 32P by trees. All grass species exerted a complementary effect on 32P absorption by Casuarina. Leucaena also benefited in the same way when grown in association with congo signal and/or teosinte. Of the tree species, Acacia and Leucaena adversely affected the 32P uptake by grass species.

HIGH YIELDING FODDER GRASS SUITABLE FOR NORTH WESTERN ZONE OF TAMILNADU

Production potential of nine perennial fodder grass entries was evaluated at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Paiyur during 1984-87. The cumbu napier hybrid grass Co J1 produced higher green fodder yield (250 t ha-1 year", exhibited a greater leaf to stem ratio (0.86) and high protein yield (8.41 t ha-1 under irrigated condition.

Effect of supplementation with tree leaves on intake and digestibility of hybrid napier (NB-21) grass in Nellore Brown sheep

Effect of supplementation of leaves from fodder trees such as Leucaena leucocephala, Sesbania grandiflora and Gliricidia maculata on dry matter (DM) intake and nutrient digestibility of hybrid napier grass (1.14% nitrogen) based rations was evaluated in two experiments with native Nellore Brown sheep. In Experiment 1, sheep received four dietary treatments, hybrid napier grass (NB-21) ad libitum (control) or grass plus 600 g day −1 of one of the three fodder tree leaves to have a grass:tree leaf ratio of 60:40 on DM basis. Supplementation with leucaena, sesbania and gliricidia decreased the total DM intake (g DM day −1) of the ration from 414 (control) to 392, 351 and 387, respectively. However, the effect of supplementation on DM intake was not significant ( P > 0.05). Crude protein digestibility was significantly ( P < 0.05) improved in all supplementation treatments. Sheep in all the four treatments were in positive N, Ca and P balance. Rumen degradability of fodder tree leaves was studied using the nylon bag technique in association with the fermentation characteristics of sheep fed rations containing different tree leaves in Experiment 2. Sesbania leaf was highly degradable in the rumen with 73% of the DM disappearing after 24 h incubation. In contrast, leucaena and gliricidia leaves exhibited a low degradability of 64.5% and 72.7%, respectively, after 48 h in the rumen. Effective degradation of DM was highest with sesbania (64.2%), intermediate with gliricidia (55.9%) and least with leucaena (41.6%). The relative ability of the fodder tree leaves to improve the total tract digestion of NB-21 grass is discussed, particularly in relation to rumen degradability of DM.

Comparison of Forage Cropping Systems in the Oxisol of Kerala

An experiment conducted to campare the productivity of a few forage cropping systems and to study the feasibility of mixing cowpea with annual cereals and perennial grasses, in the laterite soils of Kerala revealed that among the grasses, hybrid napier was superior in terms of forage and crude protein yields followed by guinea grass. Mixing cowpea with perennial grasses (hybrid napler and guinea grass) does not appear to be compatible at the normal spacing of the grassos, Cowpea mixes well with the annual cereals (maize and sorghum) but the yields of these crops and crop combinations are comparatively low.

Studies on the growth rate of the grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes) fed on two aquatic weeds and a terrestrial grass

The growth rate of grass carp fed with hybrid napier was found to be nearly three times the growth attained with Hydrilla and about five times the growth attained with Ceratophyllum. The gross conversion ratio on fresh weight basis with hybrid napier was on average 26.99 : 1, while with Hydrilla and Ceratophyllum it was 93.98 : 1 and 128.43 : 1 respectively. The average net production of grass carp fed on hybrid napier worked out to 1579.3 kg/ha in 182 days.