Comparative Evaluation of Selected Grass Species for Agronomic Performance, Forage Yield, and Chemical Composition in the Highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of different grass species (Brachiaria mutica, Desho, and Napier) and harvesting stages on agronomic performance, forage dry matter yield, and chemical composition. The grass species used were Desho (Pennisetum pedicellatum), Brachiaria (Brachiaria mutica), and Napier (Pennisetum purpureum), and the harvesting stages considered were 60, 90, and 120 days after establishment of grasses, respectively. The data collected included the following: percent plant survival (PS), plant height (PH), number of tillers per plant (NTPP), number of leaves per plant (NLPP), leaf length per plant (LLPP), leaf width per plant (LWPP), number of nodes per plant (NNPP), leaf-to-stem ratio (LSR), dry matter yield (DMY), and chemical composition of the grass species. Samples of grass species were harvested at different ages after establishment, weighed, and dried, and then, ground subsamples were taken for determination of dry matter (DM), ash, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude protein yield (CPY), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Results showed that morphological characteristics, forage dry matter yield, and chemical composition of the forage grasses were significantly affected by interactions of species ( P < 0.001 ) and harvesting dates. The highest mean PH (115.2 cm), DMY (11.8 t/ha), and %CP (11.6) were recorded from Brachiaria mutica grass which was followed by Napier grass with mean PH of 87.25 cm and mean DMY of 9.8 t/ha. The %CP content of Desho and Napier grasses declined by 24%, while %CP content of Brachiaria grass declined by 26% with increased harvesting stages. Therefore, among tested grass species, Brachiaria mutica grass was recommended followed by Napier and Desho grass for on-farm evaluation and demonstration in the study area at all harvesting ages. Farmers engaged in forage grass production could seriously consider the harvesting stage as the grasses responded differently to the chemical composition.

Herbage Yield and Nutritive Value of Selected Grasses in Subhumid Agroecological Environments in Ethiopia

“…In addition to its DM yield, B. mutica had the highest CP yield among the tested cultivars. Te dry matter yield of forage Brachiaria mutica (DZF-483) obtained in our results (13.2 t•ha −1 ) was comparable to the result (13.3 t•ha −1 ) reported during its variety registration [34] and higher than the result of 11.8 t•ha −1 that was reported in the northwest highlands of Ethiopia by Bantihun et al [35].…”

“…In this study, all cultivars had CP concentrations >7%, which met the minimum crude protein requirements (7%) for the synthesis of microbial proteins in the rumen that can support at least the maintenance requirements of ruminants [40]. Te CP concentration for Brachiaria mutica in our study was slightly higher than the result of 11.6, reported by Bantihun et al [35]. Te B. decumbens Desho and Rhodes cultivars were also higher than the result reported by Faji et al [36] in Holetta under irrigation supplementation.…”

“…Our fndings supported earlier reports that Brachiaria mutica (var. DZF-483) is a high forage yielding in subhumid conditions [34,35]. In addition to its DM yield, B. mutica had the highest CP yield among the tested cultivars.…”

Evaluation of Agronomic Performance, Forage Yield, and Nutritive Value of Desho Grass Varieties (Pennisetum glaucifolium) under Supplementary Irrigation in Sayo District, Western Ethiopia

“…The percentage of surviving plants in this study is comparable with the result reported by Wamatu (2021) [28], who observed a 100% survival rate for Desho grass. However, the current result is higher than that reported by Bantihun et al (2022) [29], who noted that the survival rate of Desho grass was 92.7%. This difference might be due to environmental conditions.…”

Contribution of Climate-Smart Forage and Fodder Production for Sustainable Livestock Production and Environment: Lessons and Challenges from Ethiopia

“…Most improved and climate-resilient grass and legume species were recently selected and evaluated in various parts of the country for sustainable animal raising and environmental management [14,19,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. Improved fodder and forage production are the options for better feeding in climate-changing scenarios because they increase efciency with minimal eforts, beneft the degraded environment, reduce food competition, increase climate adaptation capacity, and reduce vulnerability to recurrent climate change and drought [29].…”