Optimizing Productivity of Buffel and Sudan Grasses Using Optimal Nitrogen Fertilizer Application under Arid Conditions

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dc.contributor.authorAlhammad, Bushra Ahmed
dc.contributor.authorMohamed, Aden
dc.contributor.authorRaza, Muhammad Ali
dc.contributor.authorNgie, Mwende
dc.contributor.authorMaitra, Sagar
dc.contributor.authorSeleiman, Mahmoud F.
dc.contributor.authorWasonga, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorGitari, Harun I.
dc.date.accessioned2023-09-07T06:36:43Z
dc.date.available2023-09-07T06:36:43Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.descriptionArticleen_US
dc.description.abstractMost arid and semiarid areas are bare and greatly infested with intrusive wild species. Buffelgrass(CenchrusciliarisL.)andSudangrass(SorghumsudanensePiper.) arethesupremedroughttolerantgrassesthatarecommonlygrownindryregions. Besideswater,nitrogen(N)isavitalelement limiting the growth, yield, and herbage quality of such grasses since it has key roles in physiological and biochemical functions in plants. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the performance of Buffel and Sudan grasses under nitrogen fertilization in Mandera County. This study comprised a field trial laid as a split plot in a randomized complete block design with grasses being assigned to the main plots, whereas N rates (0, 35, 70, 105, and 140 kg N ha−1) occupied the subplots. Data were collectedongrowthparameters(plantheight,leaflength,numberofleavesperplant,leafwidth,stem girth, and tiller number), yield parameters (shoot weight, root weight, and aboveground biomass yield—DBY), and quality attributes (acid detergent fiber—ADF, crude protein—CP, and neutral detergent fiber—NDF). Across the seasons, plant height progressively increased with increasing N rates up to a maximum of 141 and 246 cm for Buffel grass and Sudan grass, respectively, which were associated with a 105 kg N ha−1 rate. Nonetheless, there was no noteworthy enhancement in plant height (142 and 246 cm) with an additional upsurge in N fertilizer rate to 140 kg N ha−1 relative to the one of 105 kg N ha−1. Regarding the leaf length, Sudan grass had longer and wider leaves at all treatment levels than the Buffel grass. Plant height, leaf length, width, and the number of leaves per plant increased with increasing N level up to the rate of 140 kg N ha−1, though this was not statistically different from the rate of 105 kg N ha−1 for both kinds of grass. The results revealed that Sudan grass contained higher crude protein than Buffel grass at all levels of treatments (10.33and8.80%attherateof105kgNha−1,respectively). Moreso,crudeproteincontentwasfound to be higher in plots where N application was performed than in the control plots. There were great associations between the dependent variables (DBY, ADF, NDF, and CP) and independent variables (plant height, leaf length, No. of leaves, leaf width, stem girth, and No. of tillers), with the coefficient ofregressionrangingfrom0.56to0.96forBuffelgrassand0.59to0.96forSudangrass. Findingsfrom this study indicate that for optimal growth, yield, and nutrient content benefits, Buffel and Sudan grasses ought to be grown using nitrogen fertilizer at a 105 kg N ha−1 rate.en_US
dc.identifier.citationAlhammad, B.A.; Mohamed, A.; Raza, M.A.; Ngie, M.; Maitra, S.; Seleiman, M.F.; Wasonga, D.; Gitari, H.I. Optimizing Productivity of Buffel and Sudan Grasses Using Optimal Nitrogen Fertilizer Application under Arid Conditions. Agronomy 2023, 13, 2146.https://doi.org/10.3390/ agronomy13082146en_US
dc.identifier.otherhttps://doi.org/10.3390/ agronomy13082146
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/26910
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherMDPIen_US
dc.subjectaridityen_US
dc.subjectsynthetic fertilizeren_US
dc.subjectcrude proteinen_US
dc.subjectacid detergent fiberen_US
dc.subjectneutral detergent fiberen_US
dc.titleOptimizing Productivity of Buffel and Sudan Grasses Using Optimal Nitrogen Fertilizer Application under Arid Conditionsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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