FEED VALUE OF BLUE PANIC (Panicum antidotale retz.) GRASS AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES AND UNDER VARYING LEVELS OF HUMIC ACID IN SALINE CONDITIONS

Authors : İhsanullah DAUR
Pages : 210-217
Doi:10.17557/tjfc.18296
View : 43 | Download : 11
Publication Date : 2016-12-15
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :This study underscored an underexploited crop, blue panic grass as a potential crop for hot and saline regions. It investigated feed value of the crop at two growth stages, before flowering insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(BF); and after flowering insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(AF);, and under different levels of humic acid application insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(HA, at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 kg ha−1 );. Significant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P < 0.05); effects of different growth stages, HA while non-significant effect of their interactions were observed for various parameters. Low dry matter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(DM); was recorded for cutting at BF than that for AF, whereas the DM production increased with increasing HA levels. For plants at BF stage, low acid detergent fiber insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(ADF); and low neutral detergent fiber insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(NDF); levels were observed. In contrast, leaf/stem ratio, digestible dry matter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(DDM);, crude protein insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CP); content, and the concentrations of macro and micro elements, were all high in plants at BF stage. A similar pattern for all the above mentioned parameters was observed for augmentation of HA. The study suggests the application of 75-90 kg ha-1 HA to the soil, whereas cutting of the crop at BF stage for enhancing both the yield and quality of the crop. Furthermore, findings of this study are expected to be a valuable reference for researchers and producers, because it broadly highlights the grass feed values
Keywords : Crude protein, DDM, dry matter, forage, mineral composition, NDF

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