Herbage Yield Evaluation of Desho Grass (Pennisetum Pedicellatum L)Lines under Rain Fed Condition at Sinana Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia

Abstract

This experiment was undertaken at Sinana Agricultural Research center. The aim of the research was to select the best herbage yielding Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum L.) among the four ecotypes. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications was used. The result revealed that the agronomic performance of height and dry matter yield in ton per hectare were not significantly varied (p>0.05). Other parameters such as the number of tillers per plant and stem thickness differed significantly (P<0.05) between four Desho grass ecotypes. Despite, the dry matter yield per hectare was not differed significantly (P>0.05) a large amount of dry matter yield in ton per hectare of 11.88±1.77 was yielded by Areka DZF# 590 ecotype. Moreover, the highest plant high (45.75±6cm) was obtained on Areka DZF# 590 and the highest number of tillers per plant (206.30±17.68) was observed on Kindu Kosha DZF# 589. Therefore, all lines of Desho grasses were well adapted and performed well under Sinana Condition southeast Ethiopia.