Experimental studies on seed production of tropical grasses in Kenya. 4. The effect of fertilizer and planting density on Chloris gayana cv. Mbarara.

Abstract

Rhodes grass sown broadcast or in rows 25-100 cm apart at 0.2-1.8 kg pure germinable seed/ha was given 0-80 kg seedbed P2O5 and 0-200 kg N/ha for each seed crop. Yields of DM in the establishment year were significantly higher at high seed rates and close spacing, whereas yields of clean seed were decreased from 145 kg/ha (50-cm rows) at the lowest seed rate to 110 kg/ha at the highest. Seed yields were highest, 160 kg/ha, from broadcast sowings at 1 kg/ha. Yields of pure germinable seed were not significantly affected by treatment. In 6 seed crops taken after establishment, the only factor of importance for seed yield was N; yields of pure germinable seed increased from 6.2 kg/ha without N to 36.7-41.0 kg/ha at 100 kg N/ha and 41.2-43.2 kg/ha at 150 kg N/ha. DM yields from these 6 crops were higher at the wider row spacings. Increased N and wider spacing accelerated the onset of heading. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)