Dry Matter Production and Quality of Some Tropical Grasses

Abstract

The productivity and quality of four tropical grasses namely, dwarf napier (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mott), common napier (P. purpureum), purple guinea (Panicum maximum) and para (Brachiaria mutica) were studied under field conditions between April-December 1992. The results indicated that dwarf napier, common napier and purple guinea which were erected grasses had greater dry matter yielding ability than para grass, the stoloniferous grass in nature. Common napier produced the highest yield among the three erected grasses followed by purple guinea and dwarf napier. The differences in yields were largly due to changes in the stem and to lesser extent the leaf and inflorescence fractions. In terms of pasture quality, dwarf napier showed higher concentration of protein, phosphorus and potassium than those of the other three grasses. Except for phosphorus, protein and potassium contents decreased with advancing maturity. In general for all four tropical grasses used in this study, protein concentrations were higher in the leaf than in the stem at all stages of growth.