INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

Volume 14, No. 07, Month DECEMBER, Year 2018, Pages 1065 - 1076

Effects of different forms nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield of four tropical pasture grasses

Buamool, P. and Phakamas, N.

Abstract Download PDF

Nitrogen fertilizer is an essential plant nutrient of tropical pasture crops. The effect of nitrogen fertilizer in forms of urea and ammonium sulphate on growth and yield of four tropical pasture grasses was determined. The results showed that four tropical pasture grasses were significantly different for tiller number, SCMR, CGR during the regrowth, fresh weight yield and dry matter yield, when different forms of nitrogen fertilizer were applied. Application of urea resulted in higher fresh yield (9.6-10.7 t/ha/time) and dry matter yield (1.3–2.0 t/ha/time) than did application of ammonium sulphate and control. Application of urea also had higher tiller number and higher crop growth rate during the regrowth period after each cutting time than application of ammonium sulphate and unfertilized control. Application of urea at the rate of 62.5 kg N/ha is recommended for growing Purple guinea, Mombasa guinea, Ruzi and Mulato II in Thailand. The interaction between pasture grass and nitrogen form was not significant in this study.

Keywords

Tropical pasture, Panicum spp., Brachiaria spp., Urea

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