SCREENING AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT OF DIFFERENT INDIGINOUS RANGE GRASSES IN THAL RANGE AREA OF THE PUNJAB.

Abstract

A study on “secreening and nutrient management of different indigenous range grasses in Thal range area of Punjab” was carried out during 2007-08 at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and Muzzafargar (Thal area) respectively. Germination vigor of buffle grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.), dhaman grass (Cenchrus setigerous Vahl), blue stem grass (Dicanthrium annulatum Forsk), gorkha grass (Elionurus hirsutus), blue panic grass (Panicum Retz), lumb grass (Aristida depressa), fountain grass (Pennisetum orientale Rich) and Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense L. Perse) was tested against hydro and osmopriming treatments in the laboratory, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ), urea and farm yard manure (FYM) were applied in the field to the primed seed of grasses secreened on basis of the response of grasses to different seed priming agents. Agronomic and nutritional performance of each grass was assessed at different growth stages. Blue panic grass (77.67%), dhaman grass (75.60%), Johnson grass (69.77%) and buffle grass (63.33%), gave maximum germination percentage and got 1 st , 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th position on over all basis of germination vigor. Whereas CaSO 4 was found best as an osmopriming agent. Primed seed of the grasses getting first four positions was directly sown in the filed. Fertilizers and Farm yard manure were applied as source of inorganic and organic of nutrients to these grasses. All others agronomic characters were found in maximum amount in Johnson grass due to FYM as compared to ammonium nitrate and urea respectively except number of tiller per plant Maximum number of tillers per plant of dhaman grass were counted under the effect of urea. From nutritional point of view, FYM also exhibited maximum protein (18.03) in buffle grass, DM (9.87%) and mineral contents (13.33%) in Johnson grass respectively. On the basis of the results use of CaSO 4 is recommended for enhancing germination vigor of indigenous grasses especially buffle, dhaman, blue panic and Johnson grass and FYM should be applied as organic source of nutrients to increase the performance of grasses under the conditions of Thal range area.