Morphological Parameters and Dry Matter Yield of Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 Variety Influenced by Fertilizer Application under Rain Fed Conditions

Abstract

The cause of this test become to assess the morphological parameters and dry count number yield of Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 grown for two years under four fertilizer costs (0, 100, 300 kg N and manure). The field test became done at Robit Bata Kebele in the Bahir Dar Zuria district of Amhara region, Ethiopia. Every 9 m2 plot inside the treatments changed into organized in a 4 x 2 factorial configuration in a randomized complete block layout with 3 replications. Morphological facts were accrued from 10 randomly decided on flowers grown within the center rows of each plot. All recorded datasets have been subjected to a trendy linear version technique of SAS (9.0) at an importance degree of alpha <0.05. The findings established that the morphological characteristics and dry remember yield had been strongly impacted with the aid of the interplay of fertilizer utility and year. The tallest plant (61.93 and 102.33 cm), the very best quantity of tillers in step with plant (30.67 and 120.56) and the best dry count yield (12.5 and 21.88 t/ha) when measured at manure fertilizer in the first and second 12 months production, respectively. Moreover, the very best internet gain turned into obtained from manure fertilizer (22000.44 and 35456.61 birr) within the first and 2nd years, respectively. Consequently, within the research areas and similar agro-ecologies, the Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 with manure fertilizer would have an extra advantageous production performance to satisfy forage quantity and economic feasibility.

Keywords

Brachiaria decumbens; ILRI-10871 variety; Fertilizer application; Forage yield

Introduction

Cattle is a primary supply of animal protein, manner of transportation, strength for crop cultivation, export goods, manure for agricultural cultivation and family electricity, method of wealth accumulation, and security in times of crop failure. Further to this, the arena contributed about 17%â??25.3% to the countrywide GDP, 39%â??49% to the agricultural GDP, 12%â??15% of the export income, 60%â??70% employment possibility and 50% of household earning [1]. But, cattle productivity in Ethiopia in comparison to the cattle potential is low due to the attributes of inefficient nutritional and control practices, ailment and parasitic prevalence, low genetic potential, loss of extension services, and insufficient information to enhance animal overall performance [2,3].

Amongst those constraints, insufficient quantity and first-class of feed blended with high feed fees are the most important confronts for the cattle production sector [4]. Low dry depend yield and bad dietary values symbolize the 2 foremost feed sources (natural pasture and crop residues). Those are the essential to be had feed sources inside the Bahir Dar Zuria District. The communal grazing lands in Bahir Dar Zuria District are overgrazed. In such cases, grasses were bought from church and faculty compounds and accumulated weeds from croplands were fed thru a cut and deliver device. As an end result, animals couldn't get enough and balanced vitamins from natural pasture and crop residues because of excessive fiber and low protein content material [5]. Consequently, to decrease such kinds of feed demanding situations, to supply progressed forages with fertilization for a couple of year instead of relying on natural pasture and crop residue is obligatory. For this reason, the application of fertilizer on Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 over time is essential to increase the biomass and exceptional of feeds and to make certain feed availability for 12 months-round feeding. However, the utility of fertilizer at the Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 and fertilizer software fee is an exceedingly crucial problem to attaining excessive yield and satisfactory of forages. Most of the farm animals farmers in Ethiopia do no longer practice manure or chemical fertilizers on forage grasses. Despite the fact that the farmer applied fertilizer, there may be a lack of understanding at the most reliable dosage of fertilizer software for Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871 and the effect on nice and amount of forage production have been an undertaking for most livestock farmers. Despite the fact that, there may be no comprehensive and competently informative strive or clinical proof regarding the right degree of fertilizer utility fee for the highest herbage biomass and first-rate of grown forages, the perfect fertilizer price combination must be advanced for the Brachiaria decumbens ILRI-10871.

Materials and Methods

Description of the study area

The studies were performed at Robit Bata Kebele, Bahir Dar zuria district, in the West Gojjam zone of the Amhara nearby nation of Ethiopia (Figure 1). Robit Bata is placed a geographical coordination between 11°25�N-11°55�N latitude and 37°04�E-37°39�E longitude. Its altitude stages from 1750 to 2300 m.a.s.l, with the mean annual rainfall ranging from 800 to 1250 mm and the suggest annual temperature ranging between 10 and 32°C. herbal pasture (communal and personal), crop residues, hay, crop aftermath, attela and birint, agro-commercial by way of-merchandise, indigenous browse timber/shrubs and advanced forage are getting used as farm animals feed resources [6].

Figure 1. Map of the study area.

Site selection, land preparation and planting

The assignment web site (ILRI assignment) became selected purposely based totally on appropriate agro-ecological conditions for forage development. After choosing the website, the land turned into cleared of weeds and undesirable debris, then ploughed 3 instances through oxen and harrowed to a first-rate tilth earlier than planted, plots and blocked were outlaid. After proper land instruction, Brachiaria decumbens-10871 become planted in rows on well-organized soil via the usage of the root-splitting technique. The planting technique became two-thirds of the root splits were buried at an intensity of 10-15 cm, and the apical 1/3 become left at the ground [7] and weeds loose at some point of the experimental length with the aid of manual weeding for every 12 months as necessary. The experiment became performed for 2 consecutive years (2021 and 2022).

Fertilizer collection, analysis and application

Cattle manure become purchased from Robit Bata kebele farmers, even as urea fertilizer was bought from the Bahir Dar city nearby market. The cattle manure used inside the test had a moisture (47%), pH (7.4), general nitrogen (TN) (1.5%), natural carbon (OC) (17.5%) and to be had phosphorus (Pav) (32.8 mg/kg) properties.

At the same day, manure and synthetic fertilizer had been manually implemented to the surface. Split applications of fertilizer have been encouraged, as the increase response is more in the duration without delay following the application of fertilizer [8]. Urea fertilizer software, wherein one 1/2 turned into applied on the time of planting and the last half of became applied for 2nd harvesting, even as for manure, wherein about 2/3 changed into implemented on the time of planting and the final 1/3 changed into carried out for second harvesting due to the sluggish release of vitamins. Inside the second year, the equal amount of urea and manure was carried out at the begin of the rain after the uniform cutting of all of the plots as in the first 12 months.

Experimental treatments

The examine turned into performed underneath a 4 x 2 factorial arrangement in a randomized whole block layout (RCBD) with 3 replications. The remedies had been composed of manipulate and not using a fertilizer, 30 tons/ha livestock manure, 100 kg N/ha and 300 kg N/ha, on Brachiaria decumbens-10871 turned into observed over production years (2021 and 2022). The experiment has four treatments, 12 experimental plots and the character plot size of 9 m2 (3 m x 3 m). The distance between the plot and block turned into 1 m and 1.5 m, respectively. The spacing among rows and plants changed into 0.5 m x 0.25 m [9]. There were seven (7) rows in keeping with plot and 12 flowers according to row. The remedies had been assigned randomly into plots inside each replication.

Morphological parameter sampling and data collection methods

The samples have been gathered year-round for 2 consecutive years. At the same day, harvests had been made 2 instances per year through hand using a sickle, leaving a stubble peak of 5-10 cm from the soil to allow for extra growth of recent shoots [10]. In every plot, ten flora had been randomly selected to report the plant peak, wide variety of tillers in step with plant, quantity of leaves per plant, leaf length in step with plant and leaf width in line with plant. Sparkling biomass yield (kg), dry count number yield (t/ha), and leaf to stem ratio had been additionally decided.

Plant Height (PH) (cm)

The plant top was measured on the number one shoot from the soil surface (base) to the top of the top leaves of the principle stem by means of the usage of a measuring tape. The imply plant top from every treatment become decided via measuring the height of ten randomly decided on plant life from the center rows of each plot, leaving the outer edge rows because of the border effect and then the common height became calculated.

Number of Tillers per Plant (NTPP)

The number of tillers per plant was recorded by counting all shoots that arise from the main plant and excluding the main shoot from which the shoots arise. The number of tillers per plant was counted from the same-tagged ten randomly selected plants from the middle rows and then the mean was calculated.

Number of Leaves per Plant (NLPP)

The number of leaves per plant was counted from all tillers, including the main shoot by taking ten randomly selected plants from the middle rows. By multiplying the NLPT by the NTPP, the total NLPP was obtained and then the mean number of leaves per plant was calculated.

Leaf length per plant (cm)

The leaf length per plant was measured from the base of the collar region of the leaf to the tip of fully expanded leaves. It was measured from ten randomly selected sample plants in the middle rows by using a meter.

Leaf width per plant (cm)

The leaf width per plant was measured from the middle region of the leaf. It was measured from ten randomly selected sample plants from the middle row by using a meter.

Leaf-to-Stem Ratio (LSR)