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A field experiment was conducted in 2006 and 2007 to determine the agronomic performance and nutritive value of Sorghum almum for introduction in the derived savannah area of Nigeria. The experiment was arranged in a 2 · 4 factorial design with 2 plant spacings (0AE5 · 0AE5 m and 1AE0 · 1AE0 m) and 4 nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha )1 ). Plant height, tiller number, leaf proportion, biomass yield and nutritive value of the herbage were evaluated as part of the search for alternatives (especially drought tolerant) to local forages for dry season feeding of ruminants. Herbage yield data were tested for linear, quadratic and cubic trends to identify the optimal fertilizer levels for both spacings. Spacing · N interactions (P < 0AE05) were observed for plant height and tiller number in both years. Agronomic performance was marginally better in 2007 compared with 2006. The maximum dry-matter (DM) yield of 3500 and 3740 kg ha )1 for the more dense row spacing (0AE5 · 0AE5 m) was achieved at N fertilizer levels of 144 and 149 kg N ha )1 for 2006 and 2007 respectively. For the less dense (1AE0 · 1AE0 m) row spacing, the maximum DM yield of 3020 and 3240 kg ha )1 was achieved at 51 and 97 kg N ha )1 for 2006 and 2007 respectively. The crude protein content of the grass ranged from 61 to 89 g kg )1 DM, while the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content ranged from 700 to 734 g kg )1 DM. The ability of S. almum to persist into the second year in this region is seen as a promising index as persistence is one of the characteristics of a good forage plant. Considering the exorbitant price of N fertilizer, less dense row spacing with N fertilizer rate in the range of 50-100 kg N ha )1 is hereby recommended for this region.

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The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of intercropping Panicum maximum var. Ntchisi and Lablab purpureus on the growth, herbage yield and chemical composition of P. maximum var. Ntchisi at different harvesting times at the Teaching and Research farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in a randomized complete block design. Samples were collected at different harvesting times (8, 10, 12, 14 weeks after planting). The growth parameters which were plant height, leaf length, leaf number and tiller number measured showed that the intercropping of grass with legume were higher than in the sole plot of P. maximum var. Ntchisi. The plant yield was consistently higher (p < 0.05) in intercropped forages than in sole throughout the harvesting times. The crude protein contents of the forages were also higher for the intercropped across the treatments. The values of the fibre components were significantly different (p < 0.05) at different harvesting times and it was increasing as the harvesting time was increasing. From this study, considering the herbage yield and chemical composition of intecropping Panicum maximum var. Ntchisi and Lablab purpureus, they can be grazed by ruminant animals or harvested at 12 weeks after planting when the quality and quantity will support livestock productivity and can be conserved to be fed to ruminant animals during dry season when feed availability and quality are extremely low.