"Natsukomaki" guinea grass; a new cultivar for roll bale
2001
Matsuoka, H. (Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station, Nishigoshi, Kumamoto (Japan)) | Sanada, Y. | Sato, H.
"Natsukomaki" guinea grass Panicum maximum Jacq. is a newly released cultivar from Kyushu National Agricultural Experiment Station and was officially registered as "Guinea grass Norin 3 " in 1999. "Natsukomaki" was bred and selected by individual selection from the genetic resource, GR-154, collected in Tanzania in 1972. Since the early growth of "Natsukomaki" is as vigorous as Natsukaze, it can be cultivated without the fear of competition from summer annual weeds such as crabgrass. Reproductive style of "Natsukomaki" is an apomixis. The heading time is 3 days earlier than cv. Gatton and 10 days earlier than cv. Natsukaze. Seed dormancy is very weak. Morphological characteristics, such as plant height, leaves, stems and panicle, are slightly smaller than those of cv. Gatton and green panic. The herbage of "Natsukomaki" dries rapidly. The water content of herbage decreased to 38.3% and 52.3% at 24 hours after cutting in "Natsukomaki" and Natsukaze, respectively. Fine stems and rapid drying rate make "Natsukomaki" easy to harvest for roll bales. The TDN contents and digestibility are high for the hay from the first cutting in "Natsukomaki", and its palatability is superior to other guinea grass cultivars. "Natsukomaki" is resistant to trampling by tractor during harvest and drying operations, and can be harvested two or more times, but Natsukaze can't regrow after trampling during harvest. "Natsukomaki" is expected to be grown as a summer annual crop in Western Japan.
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