Effect of plant nutrient on yield and nutrient content of Panicum maximum TD58 in Hubkapong soil series

Study on plant nutrient for Panicum maximum TD58. was conducted at Petchaburi Animal Nutrition Research Center, Cha-am district Petchaburi province during January 1998 to July 2001. The study was devided into 3 experiments. The experiment was elementary studied to evaluate plant nutrient status for Panicum maximum TD58. grown carried out in Hubkapong soil series using the Omission trial technique the experimental design was Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 replication and 16 treatments with nutrient rates being , 16, 6.4, 16, 6.4, 4, 4, 0.8, 0.8, 0.08, 0.64, 0.48 and 0.08 kg/rai (All) for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, B, Zn, Cu, and Mo respectively, four experimental rate with control, 1/2All, All and 2 All were used. Grass was cut at ground level at 60 days after planting. The result indicated that Purple guinea grass grown in Hubkapong soil showed to be severe deficiency in N and Cu. The mineral contents in Purple guinea grass were sufficient for plant requirement except N, P and Cu which the level were than the standard level mineral concentration for pasture grass. In experiment 2, five levels of N fertilizer (0, 16, 32, 46 and 64 kg N/rai) were studied on yield and chemical composition of purple guinea grass in Hubkapong Soil Series. Treatment were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 replication. The results showed that application of 48 kg N/rai gave the highest dry matter yield (2,685 kg/rai/yr). which were higher than the rate of 0 and 16 kg N/rai. The application of nitrogen at 48 kg N/rai gave significant higher protein yield (256 kg/rai) than other rate of 0, 16 and 32 kg N/rai but not different from the rate of 64 kg N/rai. However fertilizer application did not changed the chemical composition of purle guinea grass such as Ca, P and K. In experiment 3, five levels of CuSO4 (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 kg/rai) were applied to purple guinea grass in Hubkapong Soil Series. Treatment were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 replication. The results showed that there was no significant difference in dry matter among the treatment. The dry matter yield were 1,561, 1,595, 1,551 and 1,616 kg/rai for the application of 4, 8, 12 and 16 kg/rai respectively. The application of copper sulfate at 8 kg/rai gave 125 kg/rai of protein yield which were not significant difference from the rate of 12 and 16 kg/rai which gave protein yield 134 and 149 kg/rai, respectively. Copper sulfate did not chang the chemical composition of purple guinea grass, such as crude protein NDF, Lignin and K content.