Napier grass
Introduction
- Scientific name: Pennisetum purpureum
- Tall, robust, perennial forming large, bamboo-like clumps.
- High-yielding perennial grass, widely recognized as a valuable fodder grass.
- As it attains the height of 2-3 meters with enough tillers which can’t be destroyed by the elephant hence called elephant grass.
- Spreads by short rhizomes, rooting from lower nodes or falling stems rooting at nodes creating a stolon.
- Inflorescence is bristly false spike usually yellow-brown in color, more rarely greenish or purplish.
Climate
- Prefers warm climate and can withstand low temperatures in subtropical regions.
- Can grow upto the altitude of 4500 feet.
Soil requirement
- Performs well in well-drained fertile loamy soils with adequate level of lime.
- Can’t survive in water logged fields.
- Can be well cultivated as a multipurpose plant in bonds and terraces to prevent the soil erosion.
Land preparation
- Plough 5-6 times, manuring and forming ridges and furrows of 90 cm apart.
- In area where ploughing is difficult, can be planted making only the furrows 90 cm apart.
Fertilization
- Requires 125-250 quintals of FYM per hectare of land.
- Better to use FYM before field preparation and top dressing with ammonium sufate in two doses, once in February and again in July.
- NPK at the rate of 100:60:40 per hectare of land.
Propagation
- Planted from setts or cuttings or splits.
- Setts are taken from the basal 2/3 of moderately mature stems and should contain at least 3 nodes.
- Pushed into the soil at 450, basal end down, with 2 nodes buried.
- Normally planted in rows 0.5-2 m apart, and 0.3-1 m apart within rows.
- Closer spacing is required for soil conservation, contour hedgerows and for high rainfall environment.
- More open spacing is used in drier environment.
Planting time
- February onwards where there is good irrigation facilities and from June to August in area where there is no irrigation facilities.
- Generally, 2-3 intercultural operation are necessary to keep down weeds while the grass is getting established.
- Irrigation will be needed at fortnightly intervals and also soon after each cutting except during rain spells.
Nutritive value
- In 6-week, regrowth 10% CP, 10-week regrowth 7.6% CP.
Yield
- First cutting after three months and subsequent cuttings at six-to-eight-week intervals.
- Average yield is 500-600 quintals of green fodder per hectare per annum.
- With improved cultural practices a yield of 1200-1500 quintals per hectare could be achieved.
- DM yields of 10-30 t/ha/year is common.