Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Quality of Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana. L. kunth.) Cultivars
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in the Demonstration Farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology, during the season (2006/2007) to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on crude protein, fiber, ash content, ether extract, nitrogen free extract and metabolizable energy of Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana L.) cultivars. Four cultivars of Rhodes grass (Katambora, Callide, Boma and Finecut) were used in this study. Four levels of Nitrogen fertilizers (0, 40, 60 and 80 kg N/ha) were used. The treatments were arranged in a split-plot with four replications. Nitrogen applications lead to insignificant increase in crude protein for all cultivars except for Katambora cultivar. The results revealed that, crude fiber insignificantly affected by nitrogen applications for the cultivars Callide and Boma. Whereas; the cultivars Katambora and Finecut were significantly affected. Ether extract significantly affected by nitrogen application in all cultivars. The results showed that, ash was not affected by nitrogen levels for all cultivars except for cultivar Callide. Nitrogen free extract was significantly affected by nitrogen levels for all cultivars. Moreover, the metabolizable energy was significantly affected by nitrogen applications in all cultivars except cultivar Katambora. It can be concluded that, the best cultivars in the terms of forage Dry Weight, Crude Protein and Nitrogen Free Extract were Finecut, Callide, Katambora and Boma respectively with added fertilizer (80 kg N /ha).
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