Fodder Production: Response To Sowing Dates, Pruning Heights And Cutting Intervals Of Tephrosia Species In The Western Highlands Of Cameroon
Keywords:
Fodder production, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, Tephrosia speciesAbstract
Fodder production responses to three Tephrosia species (T. candida, T. purpurea and T. vogelii) to sowing date of April, May, June, and July, pruning heights of 50cm and 75cm and cutting intervals of 8, 12 and 16 weeks were evaluated. The study was carried out at the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development Mankon - Station in the Western highlands of Cameroon. Experimental design was split-split plots with four replicates. Data were collected during two growing seasons on dry matter (DM) yields and subjected to analysis of variance. There was significant reduction in DM yield between April (1870kg/ha) and July planting seasons (679kg/ha) in the year of establishment. Forage DM yield doubled in all three species when cutting height was increased from 50cm to 75cm. Averaged over species, dry matter yield was significantly influenced by cutting height, with 1673kg/ha obtained at 75cm and 772kg/ha at 50cm. For proper establishment and adequate dry matter yield the three Tephrosia species should be planted when the rains are steady, between April and May, cut at 12 weeks interval at a height of 75cm above ground level for optimum DM production.
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