On-farm Performance Evaluation of Rhodes Grass (Chloris gayana) Cultivars Under Rain-fed Condition at Babile District of East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The experiment was executed by Fedis Agricultural Research Center (FARC) for two consecutive years (2017/18 and 2018/19). It was conducted on-farm at Babile district of Bishan Babile and Ifa kebeles with 5 Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) cultivars namely; ILRI-7384, CV-massaba-13329, ILRI-6633, DZ-253 and local check. Experimental plots were laid out in a randomized completely block design (RCBD) with three replications with the objective of selecting/recommending high biomass yielding and adaptable Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) cultivars to the study area and other districts having the same agro-ecologies. The over year and over location statistically analysis result showed there is a significant difference (P<0.05) observed among the mean values of days to emergence, days to 50% flowering, dry Biomass yield and seed yield parameters. Maximum number of days required for first emergence was 10.42, 10.25 and 10.33 for cultivars of Rhodes DZ-253, ILRI-6633 and ILRI-7384; whereas the minimum days to emergency recorded was 8.83 and 9.08 for, local check and CV-massaba-13329 respectively. The mean numbers of days to 50% flowering for cultivar DZ-253 was 110.67 days followed by ILRI-6633 (109.83 days) and local check (109.33 days).The minimum days to 50% flowering obtained were 108.83 days and 108.92 days for ILRI-7384 and CV-massaba-13329 respectively. The maximum dry biomass yield of Rhodes grass was recorded by DZ-253 (9.42 ton ha^-1) followed by local check (8.5 ton ha^-1).Whereas, the minimum aboveground dry biomass yields obtained were 7.53, 7.79 and 7.95 (ton ha^-1) for CV-massaba-13329, ILRI-7384 and ILRI-6633 respectively. In general DZ-253 and local check give higher aboveground dry matter yield than the rest cultivars. It is concluded that DZ-253 and local check are more desirable and recommended to demonstrate in the study area and districts having similar agro ecologies.

Keywords: Chloris Gayana, Dry Biomass Yield, Fodder Grass.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-3-03

Publication date: February 28^th 2021