Description
Grasslands are increasingly threatened by over exploitation, degradation and climate change that has undermined their productive capacity, leading led to inadequate quantity and quality feed. Urochloa grass, a native of eastern Africa has been widely improved and adapted as livestock forage. A farmer participatory study was conducted to evaluate productivity of eight Urochloa grasses (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, U. brizantha cv. Xareas, U. brizantha cv. Piata, U. brizantha cv. MG4, U. decumbens cv. Basilisk, U. humidicola cv. Humidicola, U. humidicola cv. Llanero and Urochloa hybrid Mulato II) compared to controls of Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass cv. Kakamega 1) and Chloris gayana (Boma Rhodes) commonly grown in Kenya. Five farmers’ own criteria (ground cover, plant height, hairiness, resistance to pests and diseases, and forage quantity) was used in a Likert scale of 1- 5 (1-very poor, 2-poor, 3-fair, 4-good and 5-very good) in the assessment. Farmers participatory evaluation showed U. brizantha cv. MG4 followed by U. decumbens cv. Basilisk were ranked higher (p < 0.05) on height and amount of forage compared to other Urochloa grasses, however, they were rated lower compared to Napier and Rhodes grass controls. There was a significant positive correlation between plant height, and cover (p < 0.001) with dry matter yield, suggesting that height and cover had a direct linear relationship to dry mater yield. The results demonstrate that the farmers can accurately assess the performance of forages using their own criteria.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Participatory Evaluation of Urochloa (Brachiaria) Grasses in the Cool Highlands of Central Kenya
Grasslands are increasingly threatened by over exploitation, degradation and climate change that has undermined their productive capacity, leading led to inadequate quantity and quality feed. Urochloa grass, a native of eastern Africa has been widely improved and adapted as livestock forage. A farmer participatory study was conducted to evaluate productivity of eight Urochloa grasses (Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu, U. brizantha cv. Xareas, U. brizantha cv. Piata, U. brizantha cv. MG4, U. decumbens cv. Basilisk, U. humidicola cv. Humidicola, U. humidicola cv. Llanero and Urochloa hybrid Mulato II) compared to controls of Pennisetum purpureum (Napier grass cv. Kakamega 1) and Chloris gayana (Boma Rhodes) commonly grown in Kenya. Five farmers’ own criteria (ground cover, plant height, hairiness, resistance to pests and diseases, and forage quantity) was used in a Likert scale of 1- 5 (1-very poor, 2-poor, 3-fair, 4-good and 5-very good) in the assessment. Farmers participatory evaluation showed U. brizantha cv. MG4 followed by U. decumbens cv. Basilisk were ranked higher (p < 0.05) on height and amount of forage compared to other Urochloa grasses, however, they were rated lower compared to Napier and Rhodes grass controls. There was a significant positive correlation between plant height, and cover (p < 0.001) with dry matter yield, suggesting that height and cover had a direct linear relationship to dry mater yield. The results demonstrate that the farmers can accurately assess the performance of forages using their own criteria.
