DEEPTHI C. AND USHA C. THOMAS
Department of Agronomy,
College of Agriculture, Vellayani-695 522 (Kerala), India
*(email: deepthichonat@gmail.com)
(Received : 1 November 2023; Accepted : 28 December 2023)
SUMMARY
Bajra Napier Hybrid is a very popular perennial fodder grass among the dairy farmers of Kerala, as it is very well suited for the tropical condition. Kerala is a state with low per capita land availability. In this scenario, the study was conducted to assess the influence of different shade levels on the yield of promising varieties of Bajra Napier hybrid. Knowledge about the shade tolerance of different varieties of BN hybrid will help the farmers to cultivate this crop in coconut garden as well as the homesteads with different trees species, which offers a good opportunity to increase area under fodder production in the state. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with 12 treatment combinations in 3 replication, main plot treatmentswere different shade levels (open, 25% shade, 50% shade) and subplot treatments were different Bajra Napier hybrid varieties (Suguna, Susthira, CO-3, CO-5). It has been found that variety CO-5 under open (173.63 t/ha) and 50 per cent shade level obtained maximum green fodder yield (116.93 t/ha) and dry fodder yield. Variety Suguna under 25 per cent recorded maximum green fodder (101.85 t/ha) and dry fodder yield.
Key words: Shade, Green fodder yield, Dry fodder yield, Bajra Napier hybrid