EVALUATION OF VARIOUS EXOTIC GRASSES IN SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS OF PABBI HILLS, KHARIAN RANGE - M. Arshadullah; M. Anwar; A. Azim (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2009)
A field study was carried out to investigate the response of various warm season forage grass species under semi-arid conditions of hills, Kharian range during 2006. Sprouting response of Blue panic was the highest (91%), followed by Mott grass (77%) and Pangola grass (75%) in the first data record (April, 2006) while Blue panic grass also showed the highest sprouting percentage (81%) followed by Finger grass (63%) during the second data record (June, 2006). Fresh biomass production was highest in Blue panic followed by Finger grass during spring season. Dry matter yield was also higher in Blue panic than other grasses during spring 2006. In Monsoon season, more fresh biomass was produced by Finger grass followed by Vetiver grass and Pangola grass and more dry matter production by Finger grass followed by Vetiver grass. Buffel grass had the highest crude protein contents (9.24 %) along with highest total digestible nutrients (54.51%). Blue panic grass and Digitaria grass are recommended for semi-arid conditions of Kharian range.
Keywords: journal article; Forage production; exotic grasses; semi-arid conditions; proximate composition; feeding value; microbes