Effect of Clipping Intensity and Frequency on Growth and Morphology of Panicum antidotale
Effect of Clipping Intensity and Frequency on Growth and Morphology of Panicum antidotale
Mazhar Habib1, Aamir Saleem1, Arshad Mahmood Malik2*, Sarfraz Ahmed3 and Sameera Arshad4
ABSTRACT
A study on Blue panic grass (Panicum antidotale Retz.) was conducted during early 2012-13. Stubbles of the grass were grown on a site at NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan. Four clipping stages i.e. D1, D2, D3 and D4 (clipped after 20, 40, 60 and 80 days, respectively) were studied. The response variables were morphological characters (plant height, tiller density and herbage yield) of Blue panic grass. With the advance in maturity of clipping stages, plant height and no. of tillers in the grass increased (P<0.05). Herbage yield showed (fresh biomass yield, dry matter yield) significant differences (P<0.05) at each clipping stage. With advanced plant maturity species, its herbage yield increased (P<0.05). However, phonologically, proportion of its plants with vegetative stage declined. This decline of plants with vegetative stage can cause distraction to livestock depending on the species for grazing purposes. It is suggested that two month clipping stage should be applied on Blue panic grass to get sustained grass vigor and optimum herbage yield.
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