scholarly journals Forage Potential of Photoperiod-Sensitive Millet (Pennisetum Americanum (Linn.) K.Schum.) in South Western Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
M. E. Aken'ova

IN Nigeria, millet, an important cereal of the dry tropics, could be grown for forage in the low land forest zone where it is not normally cultivated and where the rainy season lasts eight or more months. To determine lis potential is in annual forage, 'maiwa', which is a short-day photoperiod-sensitive millet (Pennisetum americanum(Linn) K. Schum.), was evaluated in 1972 along with the following promising genotypes of three perennial forage grasses, for comparisons: Nchisi variety of Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) S. 112, elephant grass Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) S. 12 a local selection, and F1 Pennisetum hybrid No. 18 an interspecific hybrid of 'maiwa' millet and elephant grass. The perennial grasses were harvested every five weeks for dry matter (DM) yield estimation while 'maiwa' was first harvested five weeks after sowing and then every four weeks thereafter. Both total and daily DM production of 'maiwa' were significantly lower than those of all the perennial grasses. Annual DM production, average daily DM production and average DM content of 'maiwa', Guinea grass, elephant grass and the F1 Pennisetum hybrid were, respectively 10510, 18731, 16796 and 14900 kg/ha; 51.77, 89.19, 80.00, and 70.95 kg/ha; and 14.12, 19.32, 12.46 and 14.30%. However 'maiwa' contained significantly more leaf in the freshly cut herbage with 55% compared to 46, 43 and 43% for Guinea grass, elephant grass and F1 Pennisetum hybrid No. 18 respectively, When cut at four and five weeks crude protein (CP) values of ‘maiwa’ were 17.41 and 15.78% of DM respectively and were higher than those of Guinea grass (10.94 ind 10.14 elephant grass (12.68 11.17%) and the F1 Pennisetum hybrid (14.19 and 13.52%). Crude fibre (CF) values of 'maiwa' at four and five weeks were 26.06 and 27.96% of DM respectively while those of the perennial grasses ranged between 26.14 and 28. 61% and 27.35 and 30.64%, respectively. Mortality of 'maiwa' stands increased from 6% early in the rainy season to 75% at the beginning of the dry season when the study was terminated. When grazed in 1975, 66.7% of 'maiwa' DM on offer was consumed. The results indicated a superiority in quality of ‘maiwa' forage. Improvement in the level and seasonal distribution of 'maiwa' herbage production as well as quality can be realised through suitable agronomic practices as well as breeding.

Pastura ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Sajimin Sajimin ◽  
N. D. Purwantari

Pines are the largest tree forests in West of Java so that they are very potential to be developed as an agroforestry system. Forage crop potentially to be cultivated in the agroforestry system. The aim of the research was to study the response of the grasses grown under pines forest. The experiment was conducted at pines forest area arranged in randomized complete block design. The treatments were 3 grasses (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Taiwan, P. purpureum (local) and Pennisetum purpureophoides (king grass). Data collected were productivity, agronomic performance (plant height, tiller), forage production and quality. The result shows that shoot production of Taiwan cultivar was significantly higher than local P. purpureum. It was produced 498.4 g/clump on rainy season and 287.0 g/clump at dry season. At dry season forage production was decreased by 39,9%/ha. Nutrient composition at rainy season, crude fibre of grass was 39.89%; Ca 0.04%; P 0.26%; ash 12.46%; energy 4239.5 kcal/kg and crude protein 8.23%; while at the mid of dry season crude fibre was 38.43%; Ca 0.035%; P 0.26%; ash 11,43%; energy 3943 kcal/kg and crude protein 8.94%. Key words: pines, forestry, forage, production, quality


1975 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. Oyenuga ◽  
F. O. Olubajo

SUMMARYThe organic-matter intake and the digestibility of grazed tropical pasture mixtures were assessed by the chromic oxide-faecal organic matter-nitrogen technique in five digestion trials. The pasture treatments were designated as: H, Cynodon nlemfuensis var. robustus in a mixture with the legumes Centrosema pubescens and Stylosanthes gracilis; J, Pennisetum purpureum in a mixture with the two legumes in H; K, treatment J plus Panicum maximum; L, a mixture of all the grass and legume species in treatments H, J and K.The mean organic-matter digestibility of the herbages was determined in indoor digestion trials during the experimental period and varied from approximately 60·0 ± 1·73% to 62·7 ± 4·18% in treatments K and H respectively, with treatments J and L falling between these two values. The mean digestibility of the herbage as grazed, however, was approximately 66·8 ± 1·72, 69·7 ±7·68, 67·1 ± 4·40 and 67·4 ± 4·15 % for treatments, H, J, K and L respectively.The estimated mean intake of organic matter was somewhat lower, while that of the digestible organic matter was appreciably lower than those reported for animals of corresponding live weights in temperate countries. Grazed pastures were better digested by 4·1 digestibility units in treatment H, by 7·1 in both J and K, and by 5·3 units in L, compared with the indoor digestion trials.More intensive studies are still needed to warrant any justifiable conclusion as to whether the low intake of herbage by tropical cattle is due primarily to the high crude fibre and the low nutritional values of the pastures, or to the inherent capacity of the animals conditioned to grazing poor·quality pastures.


1968 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L. Johnson ◽  
W. A. Hardison ◽  
A. L. Ordoveza ◽  
L. S. Castillo

SummaryDry-matter intake (D.M.I.) fromPanicum maximum(guinea grass) was studied in digestibility trials with Holstein and water buffalo bulls and in a feeding trial with lactating cows.Differences in voluntary D.M.I. per unit body weight0·73between the Holsteins and water buffaloes were not significant. Average D.M.I. for all bulls in all main trials was 2·16 kg per 100 kg B.W. Average D.M.I. by the lactating cows was 2·08 kg per 100 kg B.W., for all practical purposes the same as for the bulls.D.M.I. was not related to stage of maturity or season of harvest of the guinea grass. Intakes of digestible protein, T.D.N., and digestible energy in different seasons and at different growth stages were related to the percentage of those nutrients in the grass.Correlation coefficients were 0·68 between D.M.I. and B.W.0·73, 0·59 between D.M.I. and T.D.N. content, and 0·58 between D.M.I. and crude protein content, D.M.I. was not closely related to dry-matter content (r= 0·30) or crude fibre content (r= 0–01) of the guinea grass.


1967 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. L. Johnson ◽  
W. A. Hardison ◽  
L. S. Castillo

The results of more than fifty estimates1 of herbage yield and ninety-seven analyses of chemical composition are presented in the first of several reports on nutritive evaluation studies of Panicum maximum (guinea grass). Effects of stage of maturity and season are discussed.Herbage yield increased at an increasing rate with maturity, and was depressed by about 40 % in the dry season compared to the wet season. The most significant differences in chemical composition were a decrease in crude protein from 9·8 % to 6·6% and a corresponding increase in crude fibre from 32·1 % to 39·4% as the grass matured from about 2½ weeks to about 2½ months in age. An increased level of nitrogen fertilization resulted in crude protein content being nearly doubled and crude fibre somewhat reduced.


Author(s):  
Henrique Guimarães De Favare ◽  
Joadil Gonçalves De Abreu ◽  
Livia Vieira de Barros ◽  
Felipe Gomes Da Silva ◽  
Luis Miguel Mendes Ferreira ◽  
...  

The study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) genotypes on energy production in the combustion form. A randomized block design with 3 repetitions was used. The treatments were arranged in subdivided plots scheme, considering as a plot the genotypes and as subplots, the harvest season. The agronomic characteristics plant height (H), leaf length (LL), leaf blade width (LBW), stem diameter (SD), tillers number (TN), stem percentage (SP), dry matter yield (DMY) were evaluated. The rainy season provided greater H to elephant grass genotypes with height above 3.5 m. The average SP obtained by the genotypes was 68.21% and 67.21% to the first and second year of cultivation, respectively, which gives the biomass good quality of burning. The rainy season provided greater DMY comparing to the dry season. In the first year of cultivation there were genotypes with annual dry matter yield (ADMY) above 50 ton ha-1 year-1, however, the non-maintenance of soil fertility promoted the reduction of 39.17% and 39.05% in the DMY and ADMY, respectively. Analyzing the agronomic characteristics, we conclude that the promising genotypes of elephant grass to produce energy in the form of direct combustion are CNPGL 91-25-1, Cubano Pinda, BRS Canará, Porto Rico and Mercker.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Amaral Gontijo ◽  
Andressa Afonso Borges ◽  
Flademir Wouters

ABSTRACT: In a rural property of the Midwestern Minas Gerais, Brazil, three 2.5 to 3-year-old female bovines (7/8 Holstein x 1/8 Gir) weighing approximately 380kg died after showing brownish colored mucosa of conjunctiva and vaginal vestibule, gray-bluish tongue, dyspnea, sialorrhea, tympany, and progression to sternal decubitus and death. In the macroscopic evaluation of one of the bovines, dark (chocolate-colored) blood of difficult coagulation, and intensely cherry-red skeletal and cardiac musculature were observed. Beyond that were observed brownish lungs, kidneys, liver, and encephalon, and all the stomach compartments were dilated due to large amounts of gas. In addition, the carcass exhaled a nitrous odor. The diphenylamine test and the nitrate dosage in the forage (Pennisetum purpureum, “elephant grass”, Napier grass cultivar) used in feeding the bovines showed a high concentration of nitrate, allowing the diagnosis of nitrate/nitrite intoxication. The main factors leading to the poisoning were attributed to excessive fertilization of grass with bovine manure, the occurrence of a drought period followed by a rainy season, lack of adaptation of the bovines to a nitrate-rich diet, and a diet composed almost exclusively of elephant grass. This is the first report of spontaneous nitrate/nitrite poisoning in cattle in southeastern Brazil.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-189
Author(s):  
F. T Ajayi

This study assessed the dry matter yield, mineral and proximate composition of Panicum maximum Jacq var. Ntchisi planted with Lablab purpureus (Lablab), Centrosema pubescens (Centro), Aeschynomene histrix (A. histrix) and Stylosanthes guianensis (Stylo) in a 3 x 5 factorial experiment using Randomized Complete Block Design in early, mid and late rainy season. The dry matter yields (DMY) of panicum sown with Lablab (11.82 t/ha/yr) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that observed for other mixtures. The least DMY of 9.46 t/ha/yr was observed for panicum in panicum/ A. histrix mixture. The yields recorded for Stylo and Lablab were highest in mid and late rainy seasons than in the early rain. Panicum sown with Lablab had the highest DM (37.71g/100g DM), Crude protein (CP) (11.36g/100g DM), ether extracts (7.20g/100g DM) and ash content (2.52g/100g DM). Among the legumes, Lablab had the highest CP (23.29 g/100g DM), crude fibre (10.61 g/100g DM) and ash content (3.96 g/100g DM). However, Centro was highest in ether extract (9.30g/100g DM). Panicum sown with Lablab had higher concentration of sodium (Na) and iron (Fe) while panicum planted with Stylo had highest concentration of phosphorus (P). The concentration of calcium (Ca) was similar (P>0.05) among the mixtures but differed (P<0.05) in the legumes. Stylo had the highest Ca concentration (0.72%) whereas highest P and Fe values were observed in Lablab. In conclusion, panicum harvested from panicum/lablab mixture had the highest DMY, CP, EE and ash content of grass in early, mid and late rainy season than the other mixtures.   


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