Open Access

ARTICLE

Effect of prescribed fire on forage production and nutritive value of the perennial grass Saccharum griffithii

Gul B¹, M Islam², S Ahmad³, S Gul¹

This research is funded by Agricultural Linkages Program (ALP) of USAID via Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Pakistan.
1 Department of Botany, University of Balochistan, Saryab Road, Quetta, Pakistan.
2 Small Ruminant Production Scientist. Diversification & Sustainable Intensification of Production System Program (DSIPSP). International Center for Agriculture Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) Pakistan Office. National Agricultural Research Center. Park Road, Islamabad.
3 Rangeland Research Center, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Islamabad, Pakistan.

* Corresponding Author:Address Correspondence to: Dr. Shamim Gul, e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2014, 83(all), 415-421. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2014.83.415

Abstract

The effect of fire on growth and nutritive value of Saccharum griffithii Munro ex Boiss-ravennae (Linn.) Murr. hybrid, a low palatable perennial grass in the semi-arid region of the highlands of Balochistan, Pakistan, was evaluated during 2008 and 2009. Prescribed fire treatments were applied in February 2008 and 2009 at the dormant stage of vegetation. Different growth parameters (tiller height, tiller number/plant), forage production (fresh, dry) and nutritive value (crude protein, ash) were compared with control (unburnt) plots. Fire increased the number of tillers, and the fresh and dry forage production in both years. Fire also improved the crude protein contents. Prescribed fire at the dormant stage of vegetation can be used as a vegetation tool to improve the forage quality and quantity of the less preferred grass species Saccharum griffithii Munro ex Boiss-ravennae (Linn.) Murr. hybrid.

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Keywords

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