Effect of Different Levels of Salinity and Anti-Transpiration on the Growth Characteristics and Chemical Composition of Panicum maximum (Jacq.) | ||
Arab Universities Journal of Agricultural Sciences | ||
Article 12, Volume 30, Issue 1, June 2022, Pages 87-96 PDF (318.3 K) | ||
Document Type: Original Article | ||
DOI: 10.21608/ajs.2022.116057.1454 | ||
Authors | ||
Adel El Wardany* 1; Nasr Elbordiny2; Ramadan Abdrabou3; Adel Bakr1; Yasser Abdelkareem3 | ||
1Regional Center for Food and Feed (RCFF), Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt | ||
2Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
3Agronomy Depatrment, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt | ||
Abstract | ||
This study aimed to determine the effect of different salinity and anti-transpiration levels on the growth and biochemical composition of Panicum maximum plants (Guinea grass) during the spring and summer of 2020. Two different anti-transpiration treatments [molasses (sugarcane) (5 mL/L), kaolin (50 g/L) and control] and three salinity levels (S1 well water as the control and salinity S2 2000 ppm; S3 4000 ppm, S4 6000 ppm) were used in 12 treatments in 72 pots (3 anti-transpiration treatments × 4 salinity treatments × 6 replicates); a randomized complete design was used. Results revealed that the plants achieved the highest plant height (123.77 cm) and dry weight (521.87 g/m2) with kaolin and no salt addition treatment during summer. A higher percentage of proteins and carbohydrates were found in spring than in summer, but there was no significant difference in the salinity levels. A high percentage of ash and fiber contents was also observed during summer, with no significant differences between the anti-transpiration treatments. It could be concluded that P. maximum, as one of the most important fodder crops, could be cultivated in marginal lands, especially during the summer season. | ||
Keywords | ||
Anti-transpiration; Panicum maximum; Guinea grass; Salinity; Molasses; kaolin | ||
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