Dinanath Grass.pptx

dinanath grass

1. Dinanath Grass Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin .

2. Morphology It is a tall, erect, annual bunch grass of 0.60-1.0 m height, branched from the base and above, leafy. Culm is bright with light reddish at base. Leaves are 45-60 cm long and light to dark green in colour. Inflorescence is pink in beginning but becomes white at maturity. It is a heavy seed producer. Leaves 15-25 cm long by 4-10 mm wide, flat, glabrous . Racemes cylindrical, 5-12 cm long, dense-flowered, rachis glabrous , notched, outer bristles few, slender, short (about 3 mm long), inner bristles numerous (longest 9 mm) densely villous below the middle. Spikelets 4 mm long, usually solitary. It spreads rapidly by self-sown seed ,regenerating each year naturally by spread seed.

3. Distribution It is native of north tropical Africa and India. It is distributed in West Africa and India particularly in Bihar, west Bengal, Haryana, Punjab, M.P. and U.P.

4. Climate and soil It has good drought tolerance and it prefers warm climate and is found in regions of rainfall from 800 to 1250 mm. It grows well on medium textured light soil and can grow on poor soils by giving sufficient fertilizer.

5. Package of practices It needs a well-prepared moist seedbed. For this first of all the stumps and root should be removed followed by one deep ploughing with disc harrow or mould bold plough and 3-4 harrowing is required. The seed is broadcast, or drilled in rows 45 cm apart by line sowing up to depth of 1 cm. At the onset of monsoon the sowing should be completed either in line or broadcasting using 4-5 kg seeds for one hectare area. Before sowing the soil should be mixed with seed. The pasture may be established by transplanting six weeks old seedlings at 50 cm distance form row to row and same for plant to plant. Thus 33,000 seedling are needed for one hectare, planting 2 seedling at one spots in growing season help in better establishment of pasture.

6. Fertilizer During the field preparation 10 t FYM and 30 kg N + 30 kg P is applied as basal dose. After establishing the pasture top dressing of 30 kg N/ha increases the forage production. In subsequent years 30 kg N + 30 kg P are broadcasted in grassland and top dressing is applied month later with 30 kg N/ha after first shower of heavy rains.

7. Yield It produces about 100 t/ha green forage and seed upto 300- 400 kg/ha. Nutritive value Grass is widely used as green fodder for ruminants but found poor to sorghum fodder mainly due to its lower voluntary intake. Supplementation of mature grass with protein sources increased its intake and digestibility. The grass is good source of zinc.

8. SEED PRODUCTION OF DINANATH GRASS Application and Amplification of General Seed Certification Standards The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and, together with the following specific standards constitute the standards for certification of the seeds of Dinanath grass. Land Requirements A. Foundation seed A seed crop of Dinanathgrass shall not be eligible for certification if planted on land on which the same kind of crop was grown within the previous five crop seasons. B. Certified seed Land to be used for seed production of Dinanath grass shall be free of volunteer plants.

9. Field Inspection A minimum of three inspections shall be made, the first before flowering, the second during flowering and the third at maturity and prior to harvesting.