DIGESTIBILIDAD IN SITU DEL PASTO PAJÓN (DICHANTHIUM ANNULATUM) A DIFERENTES GRADOS DE MADUREZ TRATADO CON UNA ENZIMA FIBROLÍTICA

DIGESTIBILIDAD IN SITU DEL PASTO PAJÓN (DICHANTHIUM ANNULATUM) A DIFERENTES GRADOS DE MADUREZ TRATADO CON UNA ENZIMA FIBROLÍTICA

Voluntary intake and digestibility of bluestem (Dichanthium annulatum) hay treated with an enzyme or N source

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two additives: one of enzymatic nature [Dyadic® Cellulase PLUS (ENZ)] and liquid urea nitrogen (LU) on crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), voluntary intake (VI) and digestibility of treated bluestem grass (BGH; Dichanthium annulatum) hay fed to rams. Nine young rams were used in a 3 x 3 latin square design with the three treatments: BGH without additive (CON), and with added ENZ or LU. The additives were sprinkled over the hay 24 hours prior to being offered daily at the rate of 4% of the animal body weight (BW). Application of ENZ resulted in no important change in VI or digestibility of dry matter (DM), CP, NDF or ADF; but ENZ tended to slightly reduce (P menor 0.11) NDF content (73.91 vs. 74.27%), and increase (P menor 0.09) ADF content (44.37 vs. 42.87%). Treatment of BGH with LU increased (P menor 0.01) the content of CP (8.11 vs. 6.41%), tended to depress (P menor 0.11) that of NDF (73.00 vs. 74.27%) and increase (P menor 0.09) those of ADF (43.17 vs. 42.87%) and lignin (6.30 vs. 5.89%). It also increased VI of CP (87.46 vs. 67.25%) and tended (P menor 0.06) to increase VI of DM (1027 vs. 986 g) and CP digestibility (61.11 vs. 53.98%). Daily VI of DM as a percentage of BW was not significantly affected by the treatments (3.13, 2.94 and 3.23% for CON, ENZ and LU, respectively).

Germination Responses of Several Poaceae Members towards Differential Storage Durations

Concerns over biodiversity loss and increasing biological invasion have forced interest on assessment of the effects on native plant species diversity in grassland community. To observe different patterns of grass emergence (dormancy/germination) in the warm tropical grasslands of India, time span of a seed from the seedling stage to a mature plant becomes very crucial for the community development. In the present study seed germination response of six dominant species of the selected study area were tested to record the various effects of dry storage conditions on seed germinability. The species selected were Apluda mutica L., Cenchrus ciliaris L., Chrysopogon fulvus (Spreng.) Chiov., Dichanthium annulatum (Forsk.) Stapf., Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. and Schult. and Themeda triandra (R. Br.) Stapf. For this purpose, seed collection at mature seed stage, seed processing and dry seed storage were followed by the germination test system. Obtained results are exhibited in the form of different responses such as, species response patterns towards capacity for immediate germination, responses to dormancy, dry storage and temperature fluctuation. The extent of the requirement in breakage of primary dormancy was highly correlated with the timing of seed maturity, precursors of seed dormancy and seed viability. In present screening out of the six studied species Apluda mutica, Cenchrus ciliaris and Dichanthium annulatum showed dependable germination pattern to fluctuating temperature. The correlation between viability and germination suggests that the germination of Apluda mutica, Cenchrus ciliaris and Themeda triandra are linearly dependent on the viability that the seeds of these species have. As these species showed less influence with the relative fluctuating environment, they can be stored for longer period and frequently can be use for community regeneration in pasture development.