Performance of Six Cenchrus and Four Panicum Forage Grasses Under Cutting Management in the Lajas Valley, Puerto Rico

Abstract

Common guinea grass and new accessions of Panicum and Cenchrus grasses were evaluated in a cutting experiment in the semi-arid Lajas Valley over three periods: 126 days of cool weather and short days; 378 days; and nearly 2 years (672 days). The grasses were fertilized with 3,360 kg.ha^-1 of a 15-15-10 fertilizer, divided in eight equal applications. The grasses were irrigated. The grasses were harvested every 42 days. In the 126-day period of short cool days, buffel 13084 and guinea 12917 were the highest dry forage yielders, with 11,371 and 11,061 kg.ha^-1, respectively. In the 378-day period, guinea #13093, #12917 and #13092 produced statistically similar dry forage yields, which were higher than those of the other grasses. Among the Panicum grasses, guinea 13093 was the highest dry forage yielder (45,574 kg. X^-1); among the Cenchrus grasses, buffel 13084 was the highest yielder (35,247 kg. X^-1). In the 672-day period, guinea #13093, #13092, and #12917 outyielded var. common and all buffel grasses.