Elephant Grass - Information Required
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manojsinghchandel
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Elephant grass is also known as Napier Grass and used as fodder crop. The plants tiller freely and a single clump may produce 50 tillers under favourable climatic and soil conditions. Unfortunately, the grass is coarse-textured, the leaf blade and sheaths hairy, leaf margins sharply toothed and stems less juicy and fibrous. In 1953, a cross was made in . India with bajra which is more succulent, leafy, fine textured, palatable, fast growing and drought resistant than Napier to combine these qualities with its high yielding potential. Compared to Napier grass, Hybrid Napier produces more tillers and numerous leaves. It grows faster and produces more herbage but the stems are hard and the plants less persistent. Pusa Giant Napier has larger leaves, softer and less persistent hairs on leaf blades and sheaths and less sharp leaf edges. The stems are also less fibrous than Napier. The tillers are more numerous and grow faster. The grass grows throughout the year in the tropics. The optimum temperature is about 31°c. Light showers alternated with bright sunshine are very congenial to the crop. Total water requirement of the grass is about 800-1000 mm. Hybrid Pennisetum can grow on a variety of soils. Light loams and sandy soils are preferred to heavy soils. The grass does not thrive well on waterlogged and flood prone lands. Phenomenal yields are obtained from very deep fertile soil rich in organic ma_ter. It tolerates pH ranging from 5 to 8. Hybrid Napier requires a deep, thorough weed free and compact seedbed. Three or four ploughings followed by disc harrowing is ideal. The popular hybrids are Pusa Giant Napier, Gajraj, NB-5, NB-6, NB-21 and NB-35. Planting is done with the onset of southwest monsoon. Being a sterile hybrid, the grass is planted by rooted slips or by stem cuttings. Cuttings of moderately mature stems (3 months old) and preferably from the lower two thirds of the stem length sprout better than the older stems. The cuttings with three nodes are stuck into the soil with the basal end down, either vertically or at an angle to such a depth that two nodes remain within the soil and one above the soil surface. The under ground nodes develop roots and shoots while the upper ones develop shoots only.
A spacing of 60 x 60 cm is recommended for pure crop of Hybrid Napier. In intercropping system, spacing is adjusted to accommodate the companion crops. The planting rate depends upon the spacing and the weight of the cuttings or rooted slips used. It is modified in crop mixtures or intercropping with other forage crops. Farm yard manure @ 25 t/ha, and P2Os and K2O @ 50 kg/ha each may be applied at the time of land preparation. Apply N @ 200 kg/ha in two or three split doses followed by gentle raking, if possible.
The field should be provided with good drainage during the rainy season, as the crop cannot withstand
water stagnation. Fre quency of irrigation depends upon the rainfall and weather conditions. Early intercuItivation once or twice is necessary before the plants establish and grow vigorously. Subsequently, intercultivation should be given as and when necessary. The first cut is taken 9 -10 weeks after planting. Subsequent cuts are taken after four to six weeks or when the plant attains a height of 1.5 m. Annually at least six to eight cuts are possible. In order to encourage quicker regeneration from the basal buds, stubbles of 10-15 cm is left out at harvest. Green fodder yield ranges! 200-250 tlha per year from 6-8 cuttings. The grass can be intercropped with legumes such as cowpea, Calapogonium, Centrosema and Glycine legumes. Intercropping with legumes improves the quality of fodder.
Hybrid Napier is superior in quality than Napier grass and contains about 10.2% crude protein and 30.5% crude fibre. The leaves are larger and greener, the sheaths are softer and the margins less serrated and hence the herbage is more palatable. It is juicier and succulent at all stages of growth. It is less fibrous and more acceptable. The oxalate content of some of the varieties may be high. It can be mitigated if harvested at longer intervals (45 to 60 days). The grass is ideal for green fodder, silage and hay. The fodder can be chaffed and ensiled. Legume fodders may be mixed with the grass in tlIe ratio of 1:2 to produce betterbalanced silage. The fodder can also converted into hay during the dry summer periods. The chaffed material is exposed to the sun only for a day. Further drying is done under the shade to preserve the colour. The quality of the silage or hay remains more or less the same as green fodder.
Regds
Manoj Singh
Chandel Agritech Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
New Delhi
09810931908
chandelagro@gmail.com
Hi
Elephant grass is also known as Napier Grass and used as fodder crop. The plants tiller freely and a single clump may produce 50 tillers under favourable climatic and soil conditions. Unfortunately, the grass is coarse-textured, the leaf blade and sheaths hairy, leaf margins sharply toothed and stems less juicy and fibrous. In 1953, a cross was made in . India with bajra which is more succulent, leafy, fine textured, palatable, fast growing and drought resistant than Napier to combine these qualities with its high yielding potential. Compared to Napier grass, Hybrid Napier produces more tillers and numerous leaves. It grows faster and produces more herbage but the stems are hard and the plants less persistent. Pusa Giant Napier has larger leaves, softer and less persistent hairs on leaf blades and sheaths and less sharp leaf edges. The stems are also less fibrous than Napier. The tillers are more numerous and grow faster. The grass grows throughout the year in the tropics. The optimum temperature is about 31°c. Light showers alternated with bright sunshine are very congenial to the crop. Total water requirement of the grass is about 800-1000 mm. Hybrid Pennisetum can grow on a variety of soils. Light loams and sandy soils are preferred to heavy soils. The grass does not thrive well on waterlogged and flood prone lands. Phenomenal yields are obtained from very deep fertile soil rich in organic ma_ter. It tolerates pH ranging from 5 to 8. Hybrid Napier requires a deep, thorough weed free and compact seedbed. Three or four ploughings followed by disc harrowing is ideal. The popular hybrids are Pusa Giant Napier, Gajraj, NB-5, NB-6, NB-21 and NB-35. Planting is done with the onset of southwest monsoon. Being a sterile hybrid, the grass is planted by rooted slips or by stem cuttings. Cuttings of moderately mature stems (3 months old) and preferably from the lower two thirds of the stem length sprout better than the older stems. The cuttings with three nodes are stuck into the soil with the basal end down, either vertically or at an angle to such a depth that two nodes remain within the soil and one above the soil surface. The under ground nodes develop roots and shoots while the upper ones develop shoots only.
A spacing of 60 x 60 cm is recommended for pure crop of Hybrid Napier. In intercropping system, spacing is adjusted to accommodate the companion crops. The planting rate depends upon the spacing and the weight of the cuttings or rooted slips used. It is modified in crop mixtures or intercropping with other forage crops. Farm yard manure @ 25 t/ha, and P2Os and K2O @ 50 kg/ha each may be applied at the time of land preparation. Apply N @ 200 kg/ha in two or three split doses followed by gentle raking, if possible.
The field should be provided with good drainage during the rainy season, as the crop cannot withstand
water stagnation. Fre quency of irrigation depends upon the rainfall and weather conditions. Early intercuItivation once or twice is necessary before the plants establish and grow vigorously. Subsequently, intercultivation should be given as and when necessary. The first cut is taken 9 -10 weeks after planting. Subsequent cuts are taken after four to six weeks or when the plant attains a height of 1.5 m. Annually at least six to eight cuts are possible. In order to encourage quicker regeneration from the basal buds, stubbles of 10-15 cm is left out at harvest. Green fodder yield ranges! 200-250 tlha per year from 6-8 cuttings. The grass can be intercropped with legumes such as cowpea, Calapogonium, Centrosema and Glycine legumes. Intercropping with legumes improves the quality of fodder.
Hybrid Napier is superior in quality than Napier grass and contains about 10.2% crude protein and 30.5% crude fibre. The leaves are larger and greener, the sheaths are softer and the margins less serrated and hence the herbage is more palatable. It is juicier and succulent at all stages of growth. It is less fibrous and more acceptable. The oxalate content of some of the varieties may be high. It can be mitigated if harvested at longer intervals (45 to 60 days). The grass is ideal for green fodder, silage and hay. The fodder can be chaffed and ensiled. Legume fodders may be mixed with the grass in tlIe ratio of 1:2 to produce betterbalanced silage. The fodder can also converted into hay during the dry summer periods. The chaffed material is exposed to the sun only for a day. Further drying is done under the shade to preserve the colour. The quality of the silage or hay remains more or less the same as green fodder.
Regds
Manoj Singh
Chandel Agritech Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
New Delhi
09810931908
chandelagro@gmail.com
Thanks.
Thanks Manoj for reply. The information is useful to me. What I understand is that it is cultivated for fodder.
We want to cultivate the same in west Bengal for its biomass which can be used as a fuel in agro-based power plant. It is found in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary but is it cultivated in West Bengal? where can I get the details of cost of cultivation, yearly cost, yields and output details.
Thanks Manoj for reply. The information is useful to me. What I understand is that it is cultivated for fodder.
We want to cultivate the same in west Bengal for its biomass which can be used as a fuel in agro-based power plant. It is found in Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary but is it cultivated in West Bengal? where can I get the details of cost of cultivation, yearly cost, yields and output details.
sampadafarms
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Raghu Ram
Sampada Farms & Consultants
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Raghu Ram
Sampada Farms & Consultants
sampadafarms
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Sampada Farms & Consultants
Dear Sir,
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Sampada Farms & Consultants
lokesh2013in
New Member
Dear Sir,
Pl confirm what is the loose bulk density of Napier Grass in Kg/Cu.m
Regards
Lokesh Thakur
Advance Hydrau-Tech Pvt. Ltd.
9958599887
Delhi
Pl confirm what is the loose bulk density of Napier Grass in Kg/Cu.m
Regards
Lokesh Thakur
Advance Hydrau-Tech Pvt. Ltd.
9958599887
Delhi