Forage yield and nutritive value of Desho grass ( Pennisetum glaucifolium Trin.) as affected by cutting heights in the central highlands of Ethiopia.

Autor:	Mengistu G; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Faji M; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Mohammed K; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Workiye M; Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 489, Kulumsa, Ethiopia., Kebede G; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Terefe G; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Dejene M; Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box31, Holetta, Ethiopia., Feyissa F; Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research Institute, P.O. Box 2003, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Heliyon [Heliyon] 2024 Mar 28; Vol. 10 (7), pp. e28757. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 28 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI:	10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28757
Abstrakt:	Desho grass (Pennisetum glaucifolium Trin) an important fodder grass. However, information on its production is lacking. This study was carried out to evaluate the forage dry matter yield and nutritive value of Desho grass harvested at different cutting heights (CH), under rain-fed conditions in two different sites in central highlands of Ethiopia for two years. The treatments (T1-T8) were: 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 cm cutting heights, distributed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The root splits of the grass were planted in a 3 m × 4 m (12 m 2 ) plot size with 0.5 m × 0.25 m inter and intra-row spacing. In the two locations, over the years, significant differences were observed among cutting heights. The interaction of cutting heights by locations, and location by years were also significant. The interaction among cutting height, location, and year was insignificant. The highest (number of leaves per plant) NLPP was attained as the plant height advance, while the number of tillers per plant (NTPP) showed non-significant differene in different treatments. The dry matter yield (DMY) increased linearly with an increase in CH (ranging from 12.2 to 20.1 t ha -1 at Holetta, and 4.2 to 11.4 t ha -1 at Kulumsa). The grass's ash and crude protein (CP) contents decreased as the cutting height increased. An increase in CH increased the fiber content Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and Acid detergent lignin (ADL), resulting decrease in in-vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). We recommend that desho grass be managed at 80-90 cm height resulting in optimum dry matter yield and nutritive value for use in smallholder farmers and market-oriented livestock producers of the central highlands of Ethiopia and major growing areas. Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. (© 2024 The Authors.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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