VARIETAL PERFORMANCE OF NAPIER FODDER (Pennisetum purpureum) INFLUENCED BY NITROGEN FERTILIZER UNDER MANGO BASED AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM

Abstract

An experiment was carried out at the Agroforestry and Environment Research Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during June 2014 to September 2014 for observing the varietal performance of napier fodder influence by different level of nitrogen fertilizer under mango based agroforestry system. The experiment was consisted of two factors RCBD with three replications. Among the two factors, one factor like A was three napier variety viz. V1= Bazra, V2= Arusha and V3= Hybrid; another factor like B was three nitrogen fertilizer dozes such as N1=150kg N/ha, N2= 100kg/ha and N3= 50 kg N/ha. So, there were nine treatment combinations and those were: V1N 1 = Bazra + 150 kg N/ha, V1N2 = bazra + 100 kg N/ha, V1N3 = bazra + 50 kg N/ha, V2N 1= Arusha + 150 kg N/ha V2N2 = Arusha + 100 kg N/ha, V2N3= Arusha + 50 kg N/ha, V3N 1 = Hybrid + 150 kg N/ha, V3N2 = Hybrid + 100 kg N/ha and V3N3 = Hybrid + 50 kg N/ha.Results revealed that the growth, yield and yield contributing character of napier were varied significantly due to variety effects, nitrogen doses and their interaction effect. Incase of varietal effect, the tallest plant of napier grass (136.20 cm, 190.20 cm and 215.70 cm) was recorded from V1 (Bazra) at 30, 60 and 90 significantly. Similarly the highest yield (13.85, 14.63 and 14.64 t/ha) was recorded from V1 (Bazra) which is significantly different from V2 (Arusha) and the lowest (5.99, 5.36 and 7.11 ton/ha) was recorded from V3 (Hybrid) at 1st, 2nd and 3rd harvest, respectively. Incase of nitrogen doses, the tallest plant of napier grass (140.10 cm, 189.20 cm and 213.70 cm) was recorded from N1 (150 kg N/ha) which is significantly followed by N2 (100 kg N/ha) and the dwarf plant (112.10 cm, 172.00 cm and 190.10 cm) was recorded from N3 (50 kg N/ha) at 30, 60 and 90 DAP, respectively. Similarly the highest yield (12.71, 13.57 and 12.80 t/ha) was recorded from N1 (150 kg N/ha) which is followed by N2 (100 kg N/ha) and the lowest (6.90, 7.30 and 7.01 ton/ha) was recorded from N3 (50 kg N/ha) at 1st , 2nd and 3rd harvest, respectively. Again, incase of interaction effect, the tallest plant of napier grass (146.20 cm, 200.00 cm and 228.40 cm) was recorded from V1N1 (Bazra + 150 kg N/ha) treatment and the dwarf plant (113.20, 167.10cm and 197.40cm) was recorded from V3N3 (Hybrid + 50 kg N/ha) treatment at 30, 60 and 90 DAP, respectively. Similarly the highest yield (13.40, 14.14 and 14.15 ton/ha) was was recorded from V1N1 (Bazra + 150 kg N/ha) treatment where as the lowest (5.20, 5.80 and 5.90 ton/ha) was recorded from V3N3 (Hybrid + 50 kg N/ha) treatment at 1st, 2nd and 3rd harvest, respectively. Therefore, the suitability of napier production with different doses of nitrogen fertilizer under mango based AGF system may be ranked as V1N1> V2N1 > V3N1> V1N2 > V2N2 > V3N2> V1N3> V2N3 > V3N3. From the above findings, it may be decided that the cultivation of Bazra napier variety with 150 kg urea under the floor of mango orchard provide higher yield of napier fodder.