Evaluation of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) varieties for use as trap plants for the management of African stemborer (Busseola fusca) in a push?pull strategy

The “Push–Pull” strategy is an effective, efficient, and powerful tool in integrated pest management (IPM) that is combining several behaviour-modifying stimuli to control cereal stem borers and the noxious weed Striga in cereal-based farming systems in Africa. This technology involves driving away from the cereal stemborers from the main crop by using stimuli of repellent intercrops (push) that mask host apparency and simultaneously stemborers are attracted by highly apparent and attractive stimuli from trap plants (pull). The fodder legume, Desmodium (D. uncinatum and D. intortum), and Molasses grass (Melinis minutiflora) are used as the repellent intercrop, which is repugnant to stemborer moths. On the other hand, Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Sudangrass (sorghum vulgare sudanese) is planted as a border crop used as the trap plant (pull). Chemicals that are released by the roots of the Desmodium intercrop induce abortive germination of seeds of noxious Striga weeds, providing very effective control of this weed. Napier grass and Molasses grass also provide high-value animal fodder that facilities milk production, diversifying sources of farmers’ income. Besides, this technology helps to improve soil fertility and prevent soil erosion that leads to increased grain yield in the future. Chemicals that are released by the roots of the Desmodium intercrop induce abortive germination of seeds of noxious Striga weeds, providing very effective control of this weed.

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COLUMN REACTORS IN FLUIDIZED BED CONFIGURATION AS INTENSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR XYLITOL AND ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM NAPIER GRASS (PENNISETUM PURPUREUM)

Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification ◽

10.1016/j.cep.2021.108399 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108399

Author(s):

F.A.F. Antunes ◽

P.E.M. Machado ◽

T.M. Rocha ◽

Y.C.S. Melo ◽

J.C. Santos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ethanol Production ◽

Fluidized Bed ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum

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Effect of maturity of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) hay on intake, digestibility, and rumen dynamics when given to zebu bulls

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200001459 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 2000 ◽

pp. 144-144

Author(s):

A.J. Ayala-Burgos ◽

F.D.DeB. Hovell ◽

R.M. Godoy ◽

Hamana S. Saidén ◽

R. López ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liquid Phase ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

The Tropics ◽

Kinetics Of

Cattle in the tropics mostly depend on pastures. During dry periods the forage available is usually mature, constraining both intake and digestion. These constraints need to be understood, for intake and digestibility define productivity. Intake depends on the rumen space made available by fermentation and outflow. Markers such as PEG (liquid phase), and chromium mordanted fibre (solid phase) can be used to measure rumen volume and outflow, but have limitations. The objective of this experiment was to measure intake, digestibility, and rumen kinetics of cattle fed ad libitum forages with very different degradation characteristics, and also to compare rumen volumes measured with markers with those obtained by manual emptying.

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Germination percentage and emergence potential of nine newly introduced temperate forage germplasms in Shika, Nigeria

Nigerian Journal of Animal Production ◽

10.51791/njap.v44i5.1440 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 232-238

Author(s):

Y. M. Ishiaku ◽

M. R. Hassan ◽

S. A. Abubakar ◽

J. T. Amodu ◽

S. B. Abdu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Feed ◽

Foxtail Millet ◽

Germination Percentage ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Elephant Grass ◽

Seedling Vigour ◽

Ecological Zones ◽

Seedling Length ◽

Pennisetum Alopecuroides

A trial was conducted to investigate the germination percentage and emergence potential of nine imported temperate forage germplasms at the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika, Nigeria. The seeds consisted of seven grasses namely; Beefsteak plant (Fructus perillae), Sweet elephant grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides), Wild foxtail millet (Setaria viridis), Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), King grass (Pennisetum sinese), Chinese sorghum (Sweet sorghum) and Zea mexican schard (Purus frumentum) and two legumes namely; Chinese woad (Isatis tinctoria) and Chinese alfalfa (Medicago sativa). A laboratory germination test and pot emergence trial was carried out to ascertain their viability. The result of the experiment showed that Sweet elephant grass, napier grass and king grass recorded over 90 % germination and the least was 30 % in Chinese sorghum. Chinese alfalfa and wild foxtail millet had least germination percentage with 100 % Seed dormancy.Highest emergence rate, seedling length and seedling vigour indexwere observed in king grass than the other forage germplasms. The highest percentage emergence was obtained in king grass > sweet elephant grass > napier grass > Zea mexican schard > beefsteak plant > Chinese woad > Chinese sorghum, respectively. It was concluded that these forages can successfully be adopted as animal feed resources in Nigeria and therefore, recommended formulti-locational trials in all the ecological zones of the country.

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Palatability Tests on Giant Pangola grass (Digitaria valida Stent) and Signal grass (Brachiaria brizantha) as compared with Napier (Merker) grass (Pennisetum purpureum)

The Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico ◽

10.46429/jaupr.v45i3.13748 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 147-150

Author(s):

L. Rivera Brenes ◽

J. A. Arroyo ◽

H. Cestero ◽

A. Sierra

Keyword(s):

Dry Matter ◽

Latin Square ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Field Observations ◽

Forage Grasses ◽

Agricultural Experiment Station ◽

Brachiaria Brizantha ◽

Agricultural Experiment ◽

Signal Grass

Signal grass (Brachiaria brizantha) and Giant Pangola (Digitaria valida Stent) were introduced into Puerto Rico by the Agricultural Experiment Station in 1957, from Ceylon and Cuba, respectively. Field observations and unpublished data on yields indicate good forage possibilities for these grasses for the Island. Both were submitted to a palatability test and compared with Napier grass, (Pennisetum purpureum), which is one of our most palatable forage grasses, using a 3 x 3 Latin-square design. The two grasses are as palatable as and contain more dry matter per pound of green forage than Napier grass. Both grasses are under grazing trials and must be submitted to more field observations before final recommendations are given to the farmers.

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Detection, Identification, and Significance of Phytoplasmas in Wild Grasses in East Africa

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-11-14-1173-re ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. 108-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

George O. Asudi ◽

Johnnie Van den Berg ◽

Charles A. O. Midega ◽

Bernd Schneider ◽

Erich Seemüller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Napier Grass ◽

Pennisetum Purpureum ◽

Universal Primers ◽

Grass Species ◽

Disease Symptoms ◽

Rdna Sequences ◽

Northern Tanzania ◽

White Leaf ◽

16S Rdna Sequences

Plant-pathogenic phytoplasmas found in wild grasses in East Africa could pose a serious threat to the cultivation of Napier grass, Pennisetum purpureum, the most important livestock fodder in the region. To asses this threat, leaves from plants of 33 grass species were sampled from Mbita, Bungoma, and Busia districts in western Kenya; Tarime district in northern Tanzania; and Busia and Bugiri districts in the eastern Uganda to determine which species host phytoplasmas, the identity of the phytoplasmas, and their relationship with disease symptoms. Phytoplasmas were detected using universal primers based on conserved phytoplasma-specific 16S rDNA sequences from 11 grass species collected. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of Napier grass stunt-related phytoplasmas in 11 grass species, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis’ in three, and goosegrass white leaf phytoplasma in 2 wild grass species. This study showed that the geographical distribution, diversity of phytoplasmas, and their grass host species in East Africa is greater than antecedently thought and that typical disease symptoms, including white leaf or stunting alone, are not reliable indicators of the presence of phytoplasma. It also shows the need to identify insect vectors responsible for phytoplasma transmission from native grasses to Napier grass or other cereals present in the region.

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