Effect of weed management techniques and planting of improved grasses on forage production, economics and nutrient uptake from Lantana infested wasteland.

摘要

A field experiment was conducted in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India, during 2003-05 to study the effects of lantana (Lantana sp.) management techniques and planting of improved grasses on herbage production and nutrient uptake in a reclaimed area. The treatments consisted of mechanical (cutting and uprooting of lantana bushes) and chemical (cutting of banana bushes in November and spraying of 1.0% glyphosate on regenerated growth in December) weed control measures, and planting of improved grass species (Setaria anceps [S. sphacelata var. sericea]; napier-bajra hybrid, Pennisetum purpureum x Pennisetum americanum [Pennisetum glaucum]; green panic, Panicum maximum; and kikuyu grass, Pennisetum clandestinum) and local grasses. S. anceps and napier-bajra hybrid recorded the lowest values of plant height (126.5 and 128.0 cm, respectively), number of shoots per plant (5.2 and 5.8) and shoot biomass per plant (883.4 and 897.8 g) for lantana. The chemical weed control resulted in higher green (19.9 t/ha) and dry (3.1 t/ha) forage yields of grasses. Among the grasses, S. anceps recorded the highest green (26.1 t/ha) and dry (4.4 t/ha) forage yields, and total nutrient (N, P and K) uptake (103.6 kg/ha).