Effects of Seed Proportion and Planting Pattern on Dry Matter Yield, Compatibility and Nutritive Value of Panicum coloratum and Stylosanthes guianensis Mixtures under Bako Condition, Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Panicum coloratum (PC) and Stylosanthes guianensis (SG) mixed pasture was established to assess the effect of seed proportion and planting pattern on Dry Matter Yield (DMY), compatibility and nutrient content of the mixed stand. Seeds of PC and SG were mixed as 50%PC+50% SG and 25% PC+75% SG and sown in same row, alternate row and broad casting  pattern. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used to layout the experiment. The 50%PC+50%SG proportion resulted in significantly (p<0.01) higher DMY for PC (p<0.0001) while the 75%  SG+25%PC mixture resulted in significantly higher DMY of SG (p<0.0001). For PC and SG, and total herbage yield, an alternate row planting pattern gave significantly highest (p<0.0001) yield, followed by broadcasting. Planting along the same row resulted in inferior values (p<0.0001) for all parameters, which perhaps is induced by the severity of competition between species. The RY (Relative Yield), LER (Land Equivalent Ratio),and CR (Competitive Ratio) values also imply similar trends for DMY of the component species. The legume DMY steadily increased from first to third year for the 75% SG+25% PC proportion. It can thus be concluded that the 50%PC+50SG proportion sown in alternate pattern was favorable for DMY in PC whereas the 25%PC+ 75%SG proportion combined with alternate rowpattern was appropriate for the legume. Intercropping SG into PC sward at 25%PC+75%SG mixed proportions also improved the CP content, IVDMD and reduced NDF content

Restoration of grazing land to increase biomass production and improve soil properties in the Blue Nile Basin: effects of infiltration trenches and Chloris gayana reseeding

Degradation of crop and grazing lands is a pervasive problem that negatively impacts agricultural productivity and livelihoods of crop-livestock farmers in the Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia. Area enclosure together with a cut and carry livestock feeding system is often advocated as an approach for the regeneration of degraded grazing lands. This paper reports the results of a two-year farmer participatory study conducted to assess the effects of infiltration trenches (ITs) and Chloris gayana Kunth (Rhodes grass; cultivar Masaba; tetraploid; C4 grass species) reseeding on restoration of degraded grazing lands. A split plot design was used with IT as the main plot and C. gayana reseeding as a sub-plot on 28 private grazing plots under enclosure. The results showed that IT alone increased soil moisture content and prolonged the growing period. IT and C. gayana reseeding together significantly (P = 0.05) increased herbage dry matter yield and improved soil chemical properties. The highest mean herbage dry matter yield (21 Mg ha-1 per cut) was recorded for plots treated with IT and reseeded with C. gayana. The higher herbage dry matter yield was attributed to increased soil moisture and the resultant prolonged growing period induced by the trenches coupled with the ability of C. gayana to effectively utilize the retained water. The results suggest that an integrated land management approach involving enclosure, in-situ water conservation and C. gayana reseeding can rapidly increase biomass productivity on degraded grazing lands while also enhancing soil quality with concomitant livelihood benefits for farmers