Abstract:
Fodder grasses are vital for global livestock and
sustainable
agriculture,
but
lack
of
understanding of their specific water needs to
optimize photosynthesis, biomass, and overall
growth. This gap was investigated by comparing
three fodder grass species CO3, CO4 and Super
Napier (SN) under controlled, standardized
water conditions (10 liters/day) within protected
environments. Data was gathered at 3 – 6 weeks
after planting (WAP). Fodder varieties were
insignificant in plant height, leaf production rate
(LPR) and leaf width. But all the varieties
experienced a sharp decline in LPR at 4WAP
before rebounding in subsequent weeks. Leaf
length and tillers/plant were significant where
CO3 exhibited highest leaf length (120cm). SN
displayed significantly fewer tillers (9 at 6WAP).
Photosynthetic efficiency, as measured by
quantum yield and chlorophyll content, remained
high and insignificant across varieties at 6WAP,
suggesting similar light-harvesting capacities.
Stomatal conductance was insignificant across
varieties but lower values observed at 4WAP.
Biomass performances at 3WAP, CO3 had the
highest fresh weight (189.6g), significantly more
than CO4 (146.7 g) and SN (84.7 g) while CO3
and CO4 were insignificant in dry weight, but
SN's dry weight (36.4 g) was significantly lower.
At 6 WAP, the fresh weights of CO3 and CO4
were insignificant. However, SN's fresh weight
(1198 g) was significantly lower than CO3 and
CO4. At 6 WAP, dry weight differed significantly
(p = 0.043), with CO3 having the highest
(613.7g). Overall, CO3 and CO4 generally out
yielded Super Napier in both fresh and dry
biomass at 6 WAP. The results can inform the
development of more efficient cultivation
practices and enhance the resilience and
productivity of fodder systems, particularly for high-yielding varieties like CO3 and CO4, in
water-limited regions.
