STUDIES ON PERFORMANCE OF IMPROVED GRASSES ON DEGRADED GRASSLAND UNDER MID HILL CONDITIONS OF H.P.
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Date
2018-08
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CSKHPKV, Palampur
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during July 2016 to October 2017 at Agroforestry Farm of Department of Horticulture and Agroforestry, CSK HPKV, Palampur to study the performance of improved grasses on degraded grassland under mid hill conditions of H.P. The experiment consisted of 7 treatments comprising of Setaria, Brachiaria, White clover and their 3 combinations viz; Setaria+White clover, Brachiaria+White clover, Setaria+ Brachiaria+White clover and control. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The soil of the experimental site was sandy clay loam in texture and acidic in reaction. It was rated as medium in organic carbon, available nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium. Observations were recorded on various growth and development, yield, quality, soil and economy parameters. Setaria+White clover treatment proved to be the best combination as it recorded significantly highest green (27.11 t ha-1) and dry fodder yield (4.98 t ha-1). Productive potential of the degraded grassland increased 3.2, 2.7 and 2.5 times by the introduction of improved grasses Setaria+ White clover, Setaria and Setaria+Brachiaria+White clover respectively. Fodder was analyzed for various quality parameters at the time of different cuts of forages. Most of the parameters were higher in pure Setaria as compared to other grasses like dry matter content (19.24%), ADF (47.68%), oxalate (3.18%) and lignin (6.56%) while NDF (67.20%) and ash (9.80 %) were higher in pure Brachiaria grass. White clover when grown pure had highest crude protein content (20%). Setaria grass when mixed with White clover had higher crude protein yield 6.31 q ha-1 than all other combinations of grasses. Higher net return of Rs. 11,175.8 ha-1 was obtained in Setaria and White clover. B:C ratio was higher in White clover (0.42) than all other treatments of forage species. Minimum B:C ratio was obtained in Setaria+Brachiaria+White clover because of high cost of rootslips.