PhD

The experiment entitled “Production package of palisade grass (Brachiaria
brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich) Stapf.)” was conducted at the Instructional farm,
College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala for a period of two years from 2014-16.
The main objectives were to standardise the nutrient requirement, spacing and
cutting pattern of palisade grass under open and partial shaded condition and to
work out the economics of cultivation.
The investigation was conducted as two separate experiments, one in open
condition and another under partial shaded condition in coconut garden. Both the
experiments were laid out in randomized block design with three replications.
The treatments consisted of two cutting patterns, C1 (cutting at ground level) and
C2 (cutting at 10 cm from the ground level) three nutrient levels, N1 (200: 50: 50
kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1), N2 (250: 62.5: 62.5 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1) and N3
(300: 75: 75 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1) and three spacings, S1 (60 cm x 30 cm), S2
(60 cm x 40 cm) and S3 (60 cm x 60 cm) in open condition. Under the partial
shaded condition the treatments consisted of two cutting patterns, C1 (cutting at
ground level) and C2 (cutting at 10 cm from the ground level), three nutrient
levels, N1 (150: 32.5: 32.5 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1, N2 (200: 50: 50 kg N, P2O5
and K2O ha-1) and N3 (250: 62.5: 62.5 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1) and three
spacings, S1 (60 cm x 20 cm), S2 (60 cm x 30 cm) and S3 (60 cm x 40 cm).
Farmyard manure @ 10 t ha-1 was uniformly applied to all plots. Entire dose of
phosphorus and potassium were applied as basal, nitrogen was top dressed in
equal splits after each harvest.
The results indicated that the cutting pattern, nutrient levels and spacing had
significant effect on the growth, yield, physiological and quality parameters,
uptake of nutrients, available nutrient status and economics of cultivation of
palisade grass both under open and shaded conditions.
Among the cutting pattern, C2 (cutting at 10 cm height from the ground
level) recorded the highest plant height and C1 (cutting at ground level) recorded
the highest number of tillers plant-1 and leaf area index during first and second
year under both open and shaded conditions. Under open condition the highest
RGR was recorded by C2 in first year and C1 in second year. CGR and NAR was
the highest in ground level cutting in second year while under partial shaded
condition the regeneration percentage and RGR were the highest when 10 cm
cutting height was followed in the first year and in the second year ground level
cutting registered highest RGR and cutting at 10 cm cutting height recorded
highest CGR.
The total green and dry fodder yield, net returns and B: C ratio were the
highest for C2 in first and second years, under both the situations. The crude fibre
content was the lowest in C2 in first and second years under both the situations.
The uptake of nutrients were the highest in C2 in first year under both open and
shade conditions whereas, only nitrogen uptake was significant in C2 in second
year under both conditions.
Among the nutrient levels, N3 recorded the highest growth and yield
attributes, crude protein content, uptake of nutrients, net returns and B: C ratio in
first and second years both under open and partial shaded condition.
Among the tested spacings, S1 recorded the highest plant height, leaf area
index, total green fodder and dry fodder yield and uptake of nutrients whereas, S3
registered the highest number of tillers plant-1 in both the years under open as
well as partial shaded conditions. The net returns and B: C ratio were the highest
in S1 in second year under open condition whereas, these were the highest in S3 in
first year under shade condition. The highest crude protein content was recorded
in S1 (fifth harvest) and S3 (second harvest) in first year under shade condition.
The lowest crude fibre content was recorded in S1 in second year under open
condition.
Pooled analysis of two years data indicated that palisade grass cultivated at
a spacing of 60 cm x 30 cm, with a nutrient recommendation of 300: 75: 75 kg N,
P2O5 and K2O ha-1 and harvesting at a height of 10 cm from ground level was the
best method for obtaining maximum fodder yield and profit under open
condition. Under partial shaded condition a narrow spacing of 60 cm x 20 cm
with a nutrient recommendation of 250: 62.5: 62.5 kg N, P2O5 and K2O ha-1 and
harvesting at 10 cm height from the ground level can be recommended for
realising higher fodder yield, fodder
cultivation.
quality and profit from palisade grass
cultivation.