Effect of Cutting Interval and Cutting Height on Yield and Chemical Composition of King Napier Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum x Pennisetum Americanum)

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different pre-cutting and residual heights of Pearl millet, Sudangrass, and Sorghum pastures on yield, morphological and chemical composition. The experimental design was the randomized blocks, with four experimental units per treatment. It was evaluated three species of forage: 1) Pearl millet (MIL; Pennisetum americanum); 2) Sudangrass (SUD; Sorghum sudanense); and 3) Sorghum (SOR; Sorghum bicolor); and two cutting managements: I) 50:20 - cutting height at 50 cm and 20 cm residual height; and II) 85:10 - cutting height at 85 cm and 10 cm residual height. Managements of cutting height affected neither forage yield per cut nor total forage yield. Sudangrass had less cuts than MIL and SOR when submitted to the 50:20 management. The 85:10 management increased stem proportion and leaf to stem ratio, and reduced leaf proportion in comparison with the 50:20 management. The 50:20 management reduced forage contents of fiber and organic matter, and increased forage contents of crude protein and total digestible nutrient. Sorghum exhibited greater nutritive value due to increased leaf proportion. The 50:20 management increased number of cuts and improved nutritive value of forages, regardless of species evaluated in this study.

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Chemical Composition and Grazing Value of Napier Grass, Pennisetum Purpureum Schum., Grown under a Grazing Management Practice 1

Agronomy Journal ◽

10.2134/agronj1942.00021962003400020008x ◽

1942 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 167-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

R. E. Blaser ◽

W. G. Kirk ◽

W. E. Stokes

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Management Practice ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum Schum

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Biogas Production from Napier Grass (Pak Chong 1) (Pennisetum purpureum × Pennisetum americanum)

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.856.327 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 856 ◽

pp. 327-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Apiwaj Janejadkarn ◽

Orathai Chavalparit

Keyword(s):

Biogas Production ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Organic Loading Rate ◽

Pennisetum Americanum ◽

Biogas Yield ◽

Volatile Solids ◽

Working Volume ◽

Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor

The objective of this research was to evaluate the quantity of biogas production from napier grass (Pak Chong 1) (Pennisetum purpureum × Pennisetum americanum) in three identical continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTRs) at room temperature. The volatile solids feed was varied at 1.5, 2 and 3%, respectively. The organic loading rate was altered at 0.43, 0.57 and 0.86 kg VS/m3.d in CSTR 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Three laboratory scale CSTRs with working volume of 5 l were carried out. The results showed that the optimum volatile solids fraction was 2% VS with maximum biogas production of 0.529 m3/kg VS added. The methane production was achieved at 0.242 m3/kg VS added. Under this condition, the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) of the hydrolysate was increased by 74% and the SCOD and VS removal efficiency were obtained 52.52% and 55.98%, respectively. The highest total volatile fatty acid was obtained on day 12, which was 5.51 g/l and the highest concentration of HAc was 4.33 g/l. The results indicated that volatile solids fraction was 2% VS achieves a maximum biogas yield and can be successfully converted using anaerobic digestion and was investigated into economical and scalable.

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