Effect of manure and nitrogen fertilization on establishment, herbage yield and seed productivity of perennial grasses
2003
Getinet Asefa(Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Holetta (Ethiopia). Forage and Pasture Crops Research Program) | Fekede Feyisa(Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Holetta (Ethiopia). Forage and Pasture Crops Research Program) | Abreham Gebeyehu(Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Holetta (Ethiopia). Forage and Pasture Crops Research Program)
This paper assess establishment, herbage yield and seed yield response of three perennial grasses (Phalaris aquatica cv. Sirossa, Chloris gayana cv. Massaba and Panicum coloratum) to different manure and N-fertilizer levels applied annually or only once during the establishment year. To take seasonal variations in to account, planting was made for two years (1996 and 1997). Stand counts taken a month later after planting indicated that manure of fertilizer N did not significantly affect germination of the three grass species during both planting years (p0.01). However, herbage yield results during the establishment years showed an increasing trend with an increase in manure of N fertilizer levels and yields were found to be nearly similar in response to manure levels of 10-15 ha sup(-1) and N levels of 46-92 kg N ha sup(-1) for all the species in both planting years. The tree grasses attained their peak herbage productivity during the second years of establishments. Mean herbage yields during this peak growth stage were 6.90 t, 8.05 t and 7.59 t ha sup(-1) DM for Phalaris, Rhodes and Colored Guinea respectively in 1996 plots. For the 1997 planted trial, the figures were 6.12 t, 9.75 t and 7.77 t ha sup(-1) DM respectively for the three species. The overall mean herbage DM yields were 5.57 t and 6.40 t ha sup(-1) for Phalaris, 5.85 t and 6.40 t ha sup(-1) for Rhodes and 6.35 t and 5.49 t ha sup(-1) for Colored Guinea in 1996 and 1997 plots respectively. Number of harvests and total herbage yields were higher for Rhodes and Colored Guineabut the lower yields obtained during the short rains lowered mean herbage yields of these species.
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