Track 2‐7‐1: Seed Production, Storage, Quality, Testing, Quarantine and Marketing Systems
Description
Cenchrus species are important perennial pasture component of Dichanthium-Cenchrus-Lasiurus grass cover of India associated with arid and semi-arid regions of tropical and sub tropical climate. It is adapted in wide range of environments due to its drought tolerance, deep roots, rapid response to summer rains, high biomass, resistance to overgrazing, palatable with crude protein 8-10% and 60-70% digestibility (Sawal et al., 2009). After well establishment these grasses give 8-10 t/ha dry fodder out of 3-4 cuts in a year and 100-250 kg/ha seed yield. There is a wide gap between demand and supply of Cenchrus grass seeds resulted about 85% area of grazing lands and wastelands of the country remains underutilized. High grazing pressure, shortage of fodder, low productivity of seed, high proportion of empty spikelets, indeterminate seed bearing, seed shattering problem, lack of mechanization for seed picking, high volume of seed for storage/transport and lack of seed chain/market are the major factors which limits grass seed production as commercial activity. Higher seed production of this species can lead to higher and sustained forage production; hence, there is a need to develop methods and technologies to obtain more yields of good quality seed from same piece of land in a year. Cenchrus grass seed production is commonly done in monsoon season traditionally in India while, information is limited on seed production in other seasons under irrigated conditions. The present investigation was undertaken for assessing seasonal effect on seed and fodder productivity and seed quality produced during different seasons round the year.
Included in
Seasonal Influence on Seed Yield and Quality of Anjan Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) Genotypes
Cenchrus species are important perennial pasture component of Dichanthium-Cenchrus-Lasiurus grass cover of India associated with arid and semi-arid regions of tropical and sub tropical climate. It is adapted in wide range of environments due to its drought tolerance, deep roots, rapid response to summer rains, high biomass, resistance to overgrazing, palatable with crude protein 8-10% and 60-70% digestibility (Sawal et al., 2009). After well establishment these grasses give 8-10 t/ha dry fodder out of 3-4 cuts in a year and 100-250 kg/ha seed yield. There is a wide gap between demand and supply of Cenchrus grass seeds resulted about 85% area of grazing lands and wastelands of the country remains underutilized. High grazing pressure, shortage of fodder, low productivity of seed, high proportion of empty spikelets, indeterminate seed bearing, seed shattering problem, lack of mechanization for seed picking, high volume of seed for storage/transport and lack of seed chain/market are the major factors which limits grass seed production as commercial activity. Higher seed production of this species can lead to higher and sustained forage production; hence, there is a need to develop methods and technologies to obtain more yields of good quality seed from same piece of land in a year. Cenchrus grass seed production is commonly done in monsoon season traditionally in India while, information is limited on seed production in other seasons under irrigated conditions. The present investigation was undertaken for assessing seasonal effect on seed and fodder productivity and seed quality produced during different seasons round the year.
