Assessment of biomass production from tithonia diversifolia and sapium ellipticum.

Abstract

The amount and quality of fodder crops, such as Napier grass drastically declines during dry season. This reduces feed availability and impacts severe effects on livestock performance, in terms of growth, milk and meat production. Fodder trees and shrubs have been proportionately overlooked in terms of the research effort devoted to agricultural cropland, pasture grasses and fruit trees crops. Although they are the most visible plant forms in arid lands, shrubs have been neglected in most scientific research and land management policies. There is need, therefore, to explore the potential of indigenous fodder species as an alternative to introduction of exotic ones. Data on many indigenous fodder trees and shrubs biomass production is lacking. The objective of this study was, therefore, to assess the potential of biomass production from Tithonia and Sapium forages for use as possible substitutes to napier grass so as to widen the choice of forages and reduce risk of single species, such as napier grass and or Leucaena leucocephala, dependence. Biomass assessment for Tithonia and Sapium at KARI Embu involved selection of site, plot identification, plot demarcation, herbage harvesting, yield and dry matter determination. The herbage stems under shade were taller and slender than those under sun. The yield of Napier grass compared to both Tithonia and Sapium forages was much less because Tithonia was more aggressive in growth and Sapium had a deeper rooting system than Napier grass