YOGESH KUMAR JINDAL* AND JAYANTI TOKAS
Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding
Department of Biochemistry
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125 004 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : yjindalhau@gmail.com)
(Received : 9 April 2021; Accepted : 8 June 2021)
SUMMARY
A varietal evaluation trial on Hybrid Napier Grass (Pennisetum glaucum × P. purpureum), which is grown round the year under assured irrigation conditions was conducted at 18 locations under four different agro-ecological zones viz., North-west, North-east, Central and Southern zones of India during 2016-2018. Six genotypes of Hybrid Napier Grass (TNCN 1280, BNH 14, BNH 22, PBN 351, BNH 12 and BNH 11) alongwith three national checks viz. CO 3, CO (BN) 5 and NB 21 were evaluated for assessing their fodder yield potential and quality parameters at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana, India. The hybrid Napier grass genotype BNH 11 gave highest GFY (1050.6 q/ha) followed by TNCN 1280 (1027.7 q/ha) in comparison to mean value of best check CO (BN) 5 at 953.9 q/ha. Similarly, genotype BNH-11 gave highest DMY (243.8 q/ha) followed by PBN 351 (240.6 q/ha) in comparison to mean value of best check CO (BN) 5 at 221.0 q/ha. The highest green fodder yield (2267.3 q/ha) pooled over three years was recorded at Urulikanchan in central zone followed by Coimbatore (1908.7 q/ha) and Vellayani (1886.4 q/ha) in the south zone of India in comparison to mean All India GFY (999.4 q/ha), whereas, the highest pooled dry matter yield (520.8 q/ha) was recorded at Urulikanchan in central zone followed by Vellayani (469.1 q/ha) and Coimbatore (383.3 q/ha) in the south zone in comparison to mean All India DMY (229.8 q/ha). Highest per day production of green fodder pooled over three years was recorded in South zone (7.98 q/ha/day) followed by North West zone (5.94 q/ha/day). Almost same trend was observed for per day production of dry matter (q/ha/day). The highest crude protein yield pooled over three years was obtained at Urulikanchan (34.3 q/ha) followed by Ludhiana (20.5 q/ha) in the Central and North west zone, respectively with a mean value at 13.3 q/ha. Highest crude protein percent pooled over three years was obtained at Ludhiana (8.5%) followed by Rahuri (8.4%) in comparison to all India mean of 7.3%. The genotype BNH 12 gave highest IVDMD% pooled over three years (54.7%) followed by BNH 11 (53.4%) in comparison to mean value of best check CO (BN) 5 at 53.3%. The genotype BNH 12 gave lowest NDF% (62.5%) followed by BNH 11 (63.4%) in comparison to mean value of best check CO (BN) 5 at 64.9%. The hybrid Napier grass genotype BNH 12 had the lowest ADF% (45.4%) in comparison to mean value of best check CO 3 at 46.3%. Data reveals that South zone gave highest green fodder and dry matter yields followed by Central zone of India thereby indicating that climatic and edaphic conditions are very suitable for hybrid Napier grass as compared to North West and North East Zone of India.
Key words:Hybrid Napier Grass, green fodder, dry matter, quality parameters