Growth Response of Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) to Cutting Height and Poultry Manure

Abstract

A field experiment conducted in 2014 at Nsukka, Nigeria was aimed to study the effect of cutting height and poultry manure on the growth of Panicum maximum. Nine treatments were evaluated as factorial combinations of poultry manure applied at 0, 5 and 10 ton ha-1 and cutting heights of 5, 10 and 15 cm. The treatments were fitted into in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated three times. The research was conducted during the period of March to September, 2014 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Grass cover and tiller number were significantly increased with 10 ton ha-1 poultry manure compared with the control. Dry matter content and bare ground area reduced with increased application of poultry manure. Cutting at 15 cm significantly produced taller plants than 5 cm but statistically the same with 10 cm height of cut. A combination of 10 cm cutting height and 10 ton ha-1 of poultry manure gave greater tiller population per m2than 5 cm with zero poultry manure. However application of 10 ton ha-1 of poultry manure with harvest at either 10 or 15 cm produced higher growth establishment of the grass.