The Effect Of mineral Nutrition on the Growth of Three Ethiopian Grass Species
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Date
1989-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The effe,',ts of n'Jtrient gru.dients on the growth and chemlc8.1
compositions of three grass specief1 (Arilll:ll.];LQ®ll /lby<Ul.iuiilll.§.
R, Br, ex lfresen; lIyparrhenia pilgerana C. E. Hubbard and
Pennisetum aQ]liIflPftll A. Rich) grown in pure and mixed stands
were investigated to examine the response of the grass
species to different concentrations of total nutrients and to
detect any difference in the growth of the species in mixed
relative to their growth in pure stand. The experiment was
conducted under greenhouse conditions and the plants were
supplied with u. series of concentrations of the Long Ashton
Nutrient Solution.
Plant height, tiller number, leaf area, leaf length and leaf
~lidth, total dry matter and nutrient concentrations in tt,e
tissue increased with increasing nutrient supplies for both
pure and, mixed stand experiments of all the three fJPeeies.
Root /5hoot ratio, on the other hand, decreased as nutrient
supplies increased.
There was a significant differenee in plant height, tiller
number, dry matter, and internal tissue concentration of
plants grmm in pure and mixed stand. However, leaf area. leaf
length, leaf width and root /shoot ratio did not show any Signifioant difference between the piante in pure are missed stands the most important effecteof the addition of mineral wltrients were increased density of the shoots. growth, and
general improvements in the veget.::ttive vigor of the plar ts.
The results of dry matter production and tiller number
indicated that P. schinmeri to be a poor competitor in mixed
st.ands
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Biology