MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS, PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF THREE NAPIER GRASS (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) CULTIVARS HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT AGE

The research was conducted to determine the morphological characteristics, productivity and quality of Napier grass cultivars Taiwan, King and Mott harvested at 8 and 13 after planting. Effect of cultivar and harvest arranged in a nested design (3x2). The variables were observed consisting of morpho...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Budiman, R. D. Soetrisno, S. P. S. Budhi, A. Indrianto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Diponegoro University, Faculty of Animal and Agricultural Sciences 2012-12-01
Series:Journal of the Indonesian Tropical Animal Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jppt.undip.ac.id/pdf/37(4)2012p294-301.pdf
Description
Summary:The research was conducted to determine the morphological characteristics, productivity and quality of Napier grass cultivars Taiwan, King and Mott harvested at 8 and 13 after planting. Effect of cultivar and harvest arranged in a nested design (3x2). The variables were observed consisting of morphological characteristics, dry matter production and forage quality. The results showed that the morphological characteristics, leaf stem ratio, fiber content, crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility of Napier grass Taiwan and King cultivar were not different, but both morphological characteristics, fiber content was higher (P <0.05) compared to Mott cultivar, whereas leaf stem ratio, crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility Mott cultivar was higher (P <0.05) compared to Taiwan and King cultivars. In general, an increase in plant height and fiber content at the age of 13 weeks, whereas crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility decreased. It was concluded that the highest dry matter production found in Taiwan and the King cultivars, whereas highest quality found in Mott cultivar. Dry matter production was highest harvested at 13 weeks, whereas the highest quality harvested at 8 weeks after planting for all cultivars tested.
ISSN:2087-8273