SCREENING OF PANICUM ANTIDOTALE GRASS SPECIES UNDER SPRING AND MONSOON SEASONS IN THE MESIC CLIMATE OF POTHOWAR PLATEAU (PAKISTAN)
M. Arshadullah, M. Rasheed* S. I. Hyder, and M. Anwar*
National Agricultural Research Centre, Park Road, Islamabad-Pakistan.
*University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi-Pakistan.
Corresponding author e-mail:
ABSTRACT
A long term field study was conducted to evaluate the performance of different species of Panicum antidotale grass in the mesic climate at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during 2004-2007. The maximum fresh and dry weight was obtained by RMF-249 which was statistically at par with RMF-247 RMF-252 and RMF-253. RMF-248, RMF-250, and RMF-251 produced statistically same fresh and dry biomass. RMF-254 attained the lowest position in this regard. Forage yield of all species was higher in monsoon compared to spring season due to prolong growing season with more rainfall. Proximate composition showed that RMF-247 attained highest crude protein percentage and total digestible nutrients. The lowest crude protein percentage and total digestible nutrients were in RMF-249 grass species.
Key words: Biomass production, forage grass, sub-humid area, proximate composition, Islamabad.
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