Biomass production and quality of promising genotypes of Chrysopogon fulvus (Spreng.) Chiov. as influenced by fertility levels and cutting management

Abstract

Performance of some promising genotypes of Chrysopogon fulvus (Spreng.) Chiov. was studied under the influence of fertility levels and cutting Intervals in central India. The effect on herbage production and quality of grass was assessed during four years (2004-05 to 2007- 08) at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi (India). The treatments consisting of three Chrysopogon genotype (IGC - 9901, IGC - 9902 & IGC - 9903), there fertility levels (control, 30 N + 20 P2 O5 & 60 N + 40 P2 O5 kg/ha) and two cutting intervals (30 & 60 days) were laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The pooled data of four years revealed that Chrysopogon genotype IGC – 9903 fertilized with 60 kg N + 40 kg P2 O5 /ha harvested at 60 days interval gave significantly higher (P>0.05) green fodder (19.86 t/ha), dry matter (5.06 t/ha) and crude protein yield (0.31 t/ha). It registered increase of 12.39, 35.65 and 29.17 percent when harvested at 30 days interval in green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yield, respectively. All genotypes performed significantly better at 60 days interval at each fertility level. The magnitude of difference was higher between control (unfertilized plots) and 30 N + 20 P2 O5 for all growth yield and quality attributes studied. Neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre increased with delay in harvesting from 30 to 60 days intervals, while crude protein content decreased with delay in cutting. This trend in quality parameters indicated that forage quality was superior at 30 days harvesting interval. However due to higher dry matter yield, the crude protein yield was superior with 60 days harvesting interval. Higher dry biomass, thus, compensated for the lower crude protein in all the Chrysopogon genotypes making this grass suitable to harvest at 60 days interval.