Effect of vegetative barriers and improved forage species on productivity of degraded grassland

Abstract

newline ABSTRACT newlineEffect of vegetative barriers and improved forage species on productivity of degraded grassland was studied during Kharif 2013 and Kharif 2014 in an ongoing experiment from Kharif 2010, at Research Farm of Fodder Section, Department of Crop Improvement, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur with a view to assess the effect of vegetative barriers viz., napier bajra hybrid (Pennisetum purpureum L. x P. americanum L.), setaria grass (Setaria anceps L.) and no vegetative barrier in main plot and forage species viz., setaria grass, stylosanthes (Stylosanthes scabra L.), setaria grass + stylosanthes and existing forage species in sub plot on forage yield, quality, soil moisture content, chemical properties of soil and economics under degraded grassland conditions. The soil of the experimental site was silty clay loam in texture; medium in organic carbon and low in available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The experiment was conducted in split plot design with three replications. Forage species in sole stand as well as in the grass + legume mixture had taller plants, more number of shoots and better leaf stem ratio under different vegetative barriers. Setaria grass as vegetative barrier produced 87.69 and 88.49 per cent more green and dry fodder yields, respectively over no vegetative barrier. The respective increase by vegetative barrier of napier bajra hybrid was 76.60 and 81.55 per cent. Setaria grass + stylosanthes produced 25.42, 87.51 and 92.29 per cent more green fodder yield over setaria grass, stylosanthes and existing forage species, respectively, with respective increase of 11.75, 70.55 and 118.86 per cent in dry fodder yield. Higher net monetary returns of Rs. 23562 ha-1 and B: C ratio of 1.82 was obtained in vegetative barrier of setaria grass and followed by vegetative barrier of napier bajra hybrid. Setaria grass grown with stylosanthes resulted in significantly higher net returns of Rs. 28229 ha-1 and B: C ratio of 2.03. Better crude protein content, crude protein yield, calcium and magnesium contents and lower acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre contents were observed in improved forage species. Setaria grass + stylosanthes also resulted in higher microbial biomass carbon content build up in the soil. Vegetative barriers as well as improved forage species helped to conserve the soil moisture content appreciably under degraded grassland conditions