Effects of Organic Fertilization on Growth Response of Brachiaria (Mulato II) in Lushoto, Tanzania

Abstract

The smallholder livestock keepers in Tanzania, like any other country in sub-Saharan Africa, depend heavily on the natural pastures that lack quality and nutrients for livestock. Efforts to establish pasture with Bracharia grass in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa to supplement the deficiency are inevitable. This study aimed to investigate the effects of farmyard manure fertilisation on the performance of Brachiaria grass (Mullato II) at Ubiri Village, Lushoto District, Tanzania. The study used two treatments, i.e., the number of harvest and fertility improvement options, whereby Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications were used. Data was collected on plant tiller number per bunch, tiller height (m), biomass (tha-1) and leaf area indices per treatment in replications. R software version 3.5.0 was employed to analyse the gathered data sets. We compared the mean difference using the standard error of the mean. The result indicated that tiller height, number of tillers, biomass yield and leaf area index, of the hybrid Brachiaria grass had increased significantly (P<0.05) by 59, 48, 68%, and 76 %, respectively, in the second Harvest (i.e., 22 weeks). It was revealed further that manure fertilisation showed positive effects on the growth response of the grass. The study recommended that the integration of farmyard manure should be promoted in Tanzania and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, a study should be conducted to investigate the effects of farmyard manure fertilisation on the nutritional value of Brachiaria grass in the area studied