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On-farm evaluation of selected cereal fodders in prominent land use systems of Kerala

By: Shahina, N N.
Contributor(s): Asha K Raj (Guide).
Material type: materialTypeLabelBookPublisher: Vellanikkara Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry 2021Description: 136p.Subject(s): Silviculture and Agroforestry | Cereal foddersDDC classification: 634.9 Dissertation note: M Sc Summary: The field study entitled “On-farm evaluation of selected cereal fodders in prominent land use systems of Kerala” was carried out as two separate experiments in homegarden and coconut garden with livestock component in Madakkathara panchayath, Thrissur, Kerala during 2020-21. The study aimed to evaluate the forage yield and nutritive value of three cereal fodders viz., maize, sorghum, and bajra in major land use systems of Kerala viz., homegarden, coconut garden, and under open conditions with full sunlight. The study also assessed the relative performance of cereal fodders with hybrid napier, the popular fodder grass in Kerala. In each system, the treatments were laid out in Randomized Block Design replicated three times. The crops were cultivated during two different seasons viz., rabi and summer. In homegarden trial, all the crops established well in homegarden and contiguous open areas. In general, the growth parameters of crops were better in the open field. Among crops, maize showed better growth followed by hybrid napier, bajra, and sorghum. In open field, maize recorded significantly higher cumulative green fodder yield (93.27 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 93.32 Mg ha-1 in summer) followed by hybrid napier (70.42 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 79.20 Mg ha-1 in summer), while in homegarden, the yield of maize (57.16 Mg ha-1 and 73.50 Mg ha-1 ) and hybrid napier (60.42 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 73.51 Mg ha-1 in summer) was on par. The productivity of sorghum and bajra was poor in both land use systems. The shade tolerance of fodder grasses in homegarden is in the order; hybrid napier>maize >bajra >sorghum. Dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. The fodder production was generally higher during the summer season than in rabi. The per day productivity was higher for bajra and maize in both land use systems. The PAR availability in homegarden as compared to open conditions during rabi and summer season was 31.72 and 49.18 percent respectively. Considering the quality aspects of fodder, the crude protein content was higher and crude fibre content was lower in homegarden than in open field, whereas xvii the dry matter and ash content showed the reverse trend. In homegarden and open field, maize had more crude protein content followed by hybrid napier, bajra, and sorghum during both seasons. The order of CF content in homegarden was in the order; maize<bajra <sorghum <hybrid napier. Maize also had more ash content compared to other fodders. Fodder grasses in homegarden had higher N content than open cultivated grasses. Insignificant variations existed in P and K content in fodder grasses in both land management systems. In the present study, fodder maize recorded the highest B: C ratio in homegarden as well as in open contiguous areas. In coconut garden trial, fodder crops showed growth and yield reduction underneath coconut as compared to open field. The maximum green fodder yield in coconut garden was obtained in maize (71.60 and 77.35 Mg ha-1 ) followed by hybrid napier (56.45 and 67.80 Mg ha-1 ) during both seasons. The order of shade tolerance of fodder grasses was in the order: hybrid napier> maize > bajra > sorghum. The dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. Per day productivity of fodder grasses was noticed more in open contiguous areas as compared to coconut garden. The maximum per day productivity was obtained by bajra and maize in both land management systems. The mean daily PAR transmittance in coconut garden during the rabi and summer season was 55.74 and 56.83 percent respectively. In the second experiment also, the crude protein content was higher and crude fibre content lower in coconut garden, whereas the dry matter and ash content observed more in open fields. In coconut garden, maize had more crude protein content followed by hybrid napier and the crude fibre content was minimum in maize. The ash content was also maximum in maize. The grasses in the coconut garden showed more N content and were recorded highest in maize. The P and K content recorded higher values in open conditions than in coconut garden. The P concentration was maximum in hybrid napier, while K content was highest in fodder bajra. In both systems, maize recorded the highest B: C ratio followed by hybrid napier. xviii Thus, the study indicates that cereal fodder, maize can be successfully and cost effectively cultivated in partially shaded tree-based systems like homegardens and coconut gardens with minimal yield loss. In comparison, yield reduction was higher under homegarden with low PAR transmission (41 percent) than that of coconut garden with higher light availability (56 percent). The study also indicated that maize outperformed hybrid napier both quantitatively and qualitatively under coconut garden with more availability of light, whereas it showed a comparable response in homegarden with intense shade indicating higher shade tolerance of hybrid napier. Bajra showed moderate performance under shady situations whereas sorghum yielded very poor results.
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Reference Book 634.9 SHA/ON PG (Browse shelf) Available 175272

M Sc

The field study entitled “On-farm evaluation of selected cereal fodders in
prominent land use systems of Kerala” was carried out as two separate experiments
in homegarden and coconut garden with livestock component in Madakkathara
panchayath, Thrissur, Kerala during 2020-21. The study aimed to evaluate the
forage yield and nutritive value of three cereal fodders viz., maize, sorghum, and
bajra in major land use systems of Kerala viz., homegarden, coconut garden, and
under open conditions with full sunlight. The study also assessed the relative
performance of cereal fodders with hybrid napier, the popular fodder grass in
Kerala. In each system, the treatments were laid out in Randomized Block Design
replicated three times. The crops were cultivated during two different seasons viz.,
rabi and summer.
In homegarden trial, all the crops established well in homegarden and
contiguous open areas. In general, the growth parameters of crops were better in the
open field. Among crops, maize showed better growth followed by hybrid napier,
bajra, and sorghum. In open field, maize recorded significantly higher cumulative
green fodder yield (93.27 Mg ha-1
in rabi and 93.32 Mg ha-1
in summer) followed by
hybrid napier (70.42 Mg ha-1
in rabi and 79.20 Mg ha-1
in summer), while in
homegarden, the yield of maize (57.16 Mg ha-1
and 73.50 Mg ha-1
) and hybrid napier
(60.42 Mg ha-1
in rabi and 73.51 Mg ha-1 in summer) was on par. The productivity
of sorghum and bajra was poor in both land use systems. The shade tolerance of
fodder grasses in homegarden is in the order; hybrid napier>maize >bajra
>sorghum. Dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. The fodder production
was generally higher during the summer season than in rabi. The per day
productivity was higher for bajra and maize in both land use systems. The PAR
availability in homegarden as compared to open conditions during rabi and summer
season was 31.72 and 49.18 percent respectively.
Considering the quality aspects of fodder, the crude protein content was
higher and crude fibre content was lower in homegarden than in open field, whereas
xvii
the dry matter and ash content showed the reverse trend. In homegarden and open
field, maize had more crude protein content followed by hybrid napier, bajra, and
sorghum during both seasons. The order of CF content in homegarden was in the
order; maize compared to other fodders. Fodder grasses in homegarden had higher N content
than open cultivated grasses. Insignificant variations existed in P and K content in
fodder grasses in both land management systems. In the present study, fodder maize
recorded the highest B: C ratio in homegarden as well as in open contiguous areas.
In coconut garden trial, fodder crops showed growth and yield reduction
underneath coconut as compared to open field. The maximum green fodder yield in
coconut garden was obtained in maize (71.60 and 77.35 Mg ha-1
) followed by
hybrid napier (56.45 and 67.80 Mg ha-1
) during both seasons. The order of shade
tolerance of fodder grasses was in the order: hybrid napier> maize > bajra >
sorghum. The dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. Per day productivity
of fodder grasses was noticed more in open contiguous areas as compared to
coconut garden. The maximum per day productivity was obtained by bajra and
maize in both land management systems. The mean daily PAR transmittance in
coconut garden during the rabi and summer season was 55.74 and 56.83 percent
respectively.
In the second experiment also, the crude protein content was higher and
crude fibre content lower in coconut garden, whereas the dry matter and ash content
observed more in open fields. In coconut garden, maize had more crude protein
content followed by hybrid napier and the crude fibre content was minimum in
maize. The ash content was also maximum in maize. The grasses in the coconut
garden showed more N content and were recorded highest in maize. The P and K
content recorded higher values in open conditions than in coconut garden. The P
concentration was maximum in hybrid napier, while K content was highest in
fodder bajra. In both systems, maize recorded the highest B: C ratio followed by
hybrid napier.
xviii
Thus, the study indicates that cereal fodder, maize can be successfully and
cost effectively cultivated in partially shaded tree-based systems like homegardens
and coconut gardens with minimal yield loss. In comparison, yield reduction was
higher under homegarden with low PAR transmission (41 percent) than that of
coconut garden with higher light availability (56 percent). The study also indicated
that maize outperformed hybrid napier both quantitatively and qualitatively under
coconut garden with more availability of light, whereas it showed a comparable
response in homegarden with intense shade indicating higher shade tolerance of
hybrid napier. Bajra showed moderate performance under shady situations whereas
sorghum yielded very poor results.

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