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Publication Date
1981
Description
In starting a pasture-seed industry on a farm located at lat 9°50' N that gets about 1,600 mm of rain yearly followed by a severe dry season from mid-December to April, four widely separated sites were selected to plant three grasses for commercial seed production in 1978. The objectives were to assess the fertility status of the soils, then to determine the fertilizer requirements of the grasses at each site and to establish an introduction garden with 70 cultivars of grasses and legumes to study their suitability for expanding seed production. Based on the results of soil analyses, a modified missing-element technique was used to test the effects of 7 plant nutrients in a field trial with 10 fertilizer treatments in 4 randomized complete blocks at each of the four sites ( two with Panicum maximum cv. Colonial and one each with Brachiaria humidicola and B. decumbens). A replicated factorial e:irperiment testing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) at three levels was also established with Colonial at one site. In the second year, 12 grasses were planted :in 4 randomized complete blocks to obtain forage yields and observe their acceptance by cattle. Although the soil tests indicated that several plant nutrients might limit seed production, the results of the fertilizer trials showed a highly significant response only to P treatment at all four sites , and a significant response to N treatment at only one site in the first year. In the second yea,, spittlebug (Aeneolamia reducta) first appeared in B. decumbens only, and in 1980 this pest attacked all the introduced grasses except Colonial; fortunately, commercial seed yields were not seriously affected. B. hum·idicola, though attacked by spittlebug, recovered quicldy and is regarded as the most outstanding grass introduced so far, with the potential to revotutionize Venezuelan pasture development. Cultivars of Andropogon gayanus, Brachiaria brizantha, and Setaria anceps appeared promising for future grass-seed production, as did certain cultivars of legume species, notably Leucaena leucocephala. It has been conclusively shown that P fertilization is essential for pasture establishment and productivity; other nutrients are abo low in availability and are being studied. Control of spittlebug is now necessary to prevent its increase and possible damage to grasses before seeding. A great potential exists for forage-seed production that can immensely benefit pasture improvement in Venezuela.
Citation
Khan, E.J A. and Mark, W H., "Some Initial Results of Field Trials Conducted in Establishing a Pasture-Seed Industry in Cojedes State, Venezuela" (1981). IGC Proceedings (1977-2023). 6.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1981/section12/6)
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Some Initial Results of Field Trials Conducted in Establishing a Pasture-Seed Industry in Cojedes State, Venezuela
In starting a pasture-seed industry on a farm located at lat 9°50' N that gets about 1,600 mm of rain yearly followed by a severe dry season from mid-December to April, four widely separated sites were selected to plant three grasses for commercial seed production in 1978. The objectives were to assess the fertility status of the soils, then to determine the fertilizer requirements of the grasses at each site and to establish an introduction garden with 70 cultivars of grasses and legumes to study their suitability for expanding seed production. Based on the results of soil analyses, a modified missing-element technique was used to test the effects of 7 plant nutrients in a field trial with 10 fertilizer treatments in 4 randomized complete blocks at each of the four sites ( two with Panicum maximum cv. Colonial and one each with Brachiaria humidicola and B. decumbens). A replicated factorial e:irperiment testing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) at three levels was also established with Colonial at one site. In the second year, 12 grasses were planted :in 4 randomized complete blocks to obtain forage yields and observe their acceptance by cattle. Although the soil tests indicated that several plant nutrients might limit seed production, the results of the fertilizer trials showed a highly significant response only to P treatment at all four sites , and a significant response to N treatment at only one site in the first year. In the second yea,, spittlebug (Aeneolamia reducta) first appeared in B. decumbens only, and in 1980 this pest attacked all the introduced grasses except Colonial; fortunately, commercial seed yields were not seriously affected. B. hum·idicola, though attacked by spittlebug, recovered quicldy and is regarded as the most outstanding grass introduced so far, with the potential to revotutionize Venezuelan pasture development. Cultivars of Andropogon gayanus, Brachiaria brizantha, and Setaria anceps appeared promising for future grass-seed production, as did certain cultivars of legume species, notably Leucaena leucocephala. It has been conclusively shown that P fertilization is essential for pasture establishment and productivity; other nutrients are abo low in availability and are being studied. Control of spittlebug is now necessary to prevent its increase and possible damage to grasses before seeding. A great potential exists for forage-seed production that can immensely benefit pasture improvement in Venezuela.
