Abstract:
A field experiment conducted to study the effect of graded doses of
phosphorus (0,40, 80, 120 and 160 kg/ha ) on the growth attributes, green and dry
matter yields of Stylosanthes gracilis Swartz with two levels of lime [0 and
500 kg/ha] in the red loam soils of the Instructional farm, College of Agriculture.
Vellayani has shown that growth attribuies like plant height, number of
leaves, number of branches and leaf/stem ratio were not influenced by the application
of graded doses of phosphorus except lime which increased the leaf
number significantly. Phosphorus at the rate of 120 kg/ha recorded the maximum
green matteryteld and dry matter production. Although lime level at 500 kg/ha
failed to produce significant increase in green matter and dry matter yields, a positive
trend was noticed by lime application.