J. Amin. Prod. Res. (2012) 25:59-65
ESTABLISHMENT AND PERSISTENCE OF THREE FORAGE LEGUMES IN A RANGELAND OF THE NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA OF NIGERIA R. J. Tanko, M. S. Kallah, A. M. Adamu, C. A. M. Lakpini, I.A. Adeyinka National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, P.M.B. 1096, Shika-Zaria. Corresponding author:
[email protected] ABSTRACT Three forage legumes Stylosanthes hamata(L) Taub. Cv. Verano, Chamaecrista rotundifolia (Pers) Grenne cv. Wynn and Centrosema pascuorum Mart. ex Benth (Centurion) cv. Cavalcade were assessed for establishment and persistence in the natural rangeland of the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Ahmadu Bello University, Shika Zaria. Seeds of the legumes were obtained from the Forage and Crop Residues Research Programme of NAPRI and their purity and viability determined in the laboratory. The legumes were sown at 30, 16 and 15 kg/ha for S. hamata, C. pascuorum and C. rotundifolia respectively into two-meter wide strips at 10 meters apart in the native rangelands. The experiment was a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) made of four treatments replicated four times. Data on the three forage legumes establishment were collected from the strip-sown legumes in the month of July of each year. Data collected was analyzed using the General Linear Model Procedure of SAS. The Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used to separate the means. The results showed that in the year of establishment, S. hamata recorded the highest stand count of 117 stands/m2 , which was significantly higher (P
