Description
Minerals are essential for ruminants and are mostly provided by grass species. Their growth stage is vital in the supply of these minerals. Perennial grass species have been mostly undervalued, owing to the scarce information concerning their potential feeding value and little documentation about their potential nutritive value in different growth stages. This study was conducted to investigate the chlorophyll and mineral concentration of grass species at different growth stages under greenhouse conditions at the North-West University Experimental farm, North West province, South Africa. The soil, collected from different villages, was mixed and samples were drawn for chemical analysis before being used as a potting medium. Nine grass species viz., Anthephora pubescens, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana, Dactylis glomerata, Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis curvula, Festuca arundinacea, Panicum maximum and Themeda triandra were used for the experiment. The grasses were harvested at different growth stages and analysed for nitrogen and minerals, and chlorophyll content (chlorophyll content index-CCI) was checked at the elongation stage only. Eragrostis curvula (47.28 CCI±1.25) had a higher (P F. arundinacea (34.50 CCI±1.25) had a lower (P > 0.05) chlorophyll content. At the elongation stage, P. maximum had the highest (PA. pubescens and F. arundinacea had the lowest (PPanicum maximum (503 mg/kg) had a higher (PE. curvula at maturity stage. Anthephora pubescens, Dactylis glomerata, Eragrostis curvula, Festuca arundinacea, Panicum maximum and Themeda triandra had greater Ca, Na, N, P, Mg, K, Fe, Cu and Mn mineral concentrations. Since these grass species cannot individually supply the adequate minerals required by each livestock in different production stages, they can complement each other to meet the nutrient requirements for all livestock.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Chlorophyll and Mineral Dynamics of Perennial Grass Species Found in Semi- Arid Rangelands of South Africa
Minerals are essential for ruminants and are mostly provided by grass species. Their growth stage is vital in the supply of these minerals. Perennial grass species have been mostly undervalued, owing to the scarce information concerning their potential feeding value and little documentation about their potential nutritive value in different growth stages. This study was conducted to investigate the chlorophyll and mineral concentration of grass species at different growth stages under greenhouse conditions at the North-West University Experimental farm, North West province, South Africa. The soil, collected from different villages, was mixed and samples were drawn for chemical analysis before being used as a potting medium. Nine grass species viz., Anthephora pubescens, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana, Dactylis glomerata, Digitaria eriantha, Eragrostis curvula, Festuca arundinacea, Panicum maximum and Themeda triandra were used for the experiment. The grasses were harvested at different growth stages and analysed for nitrogen and minerals, and chlorophyll content (chlorophyll content index-CCI) was checked at the elongation stage only. Eragrostis curvula (47.28 CCI±1.25) had a higher (P F. arundinacea (34.50 CCI±1.25) had a lower (P > 0.05) chlorophyll content. At the elongation stage, P. maximum had the highest (PA. pubescens and F. arundinacea had the lowest (PPanicum maximum (503 mg/kg) had a higher (PE. curvula at maturity stage. Anthephora pubescens, Dactylis glomerata, Eragrostis curvula, Festuca arundinacea, Panicum maximum and Themeda triandra had greater Ca, Na, N, P, Mg, K, Fe, Cu and Mn mineral concentrations. Since these grass species cannot individually supply the adequate minerals required by each livestock in different production stages, they can complement each other to meet the nutrient requirements for all livestock.
