Forage yield and compositions (chemical and mineral) of napier grass cultivated using different fertilizers and spacing | ||
| SVU-International Journal of Agricultural Sciences | ||
| Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 11 October 2025 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/svuijas.2025.401712.1484 | ||
| Author | ||
| A.J. Hyelda* | ||
| Animal Quarantine Department, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, Nigeria | ||
| Abstract | ||
| This research studied the germination percentage, forage yield(fresh&DM), chemical&mineral compositions of Napier grass as influenced by different fertilizers&spacing levels.It was conducted in Yola South Local Government,Adamawa state, Nigeria.A total of 5,000m2 of land was used.Planting was carried out using a 2x3 factorial(fertilizer × spacing interactions),within in a RCBD,consisting of two fertilizer types(organic&inorganic)and three spacing levels(0.7x0.6m, 0.7x0.8m and 0.7x1.0m),resulting in six treatments with three replicates per treatment (18 plots). Each plot measured 220.5m2.The germination percentage across all the treatments ranged from 95.43 to 96.12%. In all the growth stages, T1 (0.7x0.6m × organic fertilizer) produced the highest fresh and dry matter (DM) forage yields (61.04 ton/ha and 15.29 ton/ha at 12 WAP; 70.14 ton/ha and 20.31 ton/ha at 16 WAP). Organic fertilizer resulted in higher fresh and dry matter yields than inorganic fertilizer. Among the spacing levels, the 0.7x0.6m spacing yielded the highest forage production (both fresh and dry matter). There were significant differences (P<0.05) at all the harvesting stages in relation to fertilizer × spacing interactions, fertilizers applied and different spacings. The dry matter (DM), crude fibre (CF), oranic matter (OM), non-fibre carbohydrate (NFC), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose and hemicellulose increased with increase in maturity, while crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE),ash,NFE and the minerals analysed(Na,P,Ca,K,Zn,Cu,Mn and Fe) decreased as maturity progressed.The use of organic fertilizer(cow dung at 10 tons/ha)is recommended for establishing Napier grass pasture.It produce grass with higher fresh&DM yields, particularly when a narrower spacing of 0.7x0.6m was applied. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Napier grass; fertilizer; spacing; forage yield; composition | ||
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