Elephant grasss

Elephant grasss

1. Elephant Grass

2. To Brain Storm !!!! Varieties Properties Preservation Antinutritional Factors

3. Varieties Pennisetum purpureum ,( Napier grass, elephant grass or Uganda grass ) Saccharum ravennae ,( ravennagrass , elephant grass ,locally ekra , ikora ) Miscanthus sinensis ( species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae )

4. Properties Require less nutrients Used for biological control of pests( push Plan ) Cheaper & accesible than fertilizers Econmically important (paper pulp, fuel production bio gas charcoal etc ) Cultivation………… Stolons ,seeds

5. Properties Can reach 4m height Dense clumps of rhizomes underground Ornamental plants Leaves finely toothed Longer than sugar cane

6. Properties High productivity Drout resistant Disease tolerant High DM High palatability

7. Utilisation Cut and carry system Humen and animals( soups of leaves )

8. Nutritional profile CP 18.6% ADF 34% NDF 51.7% DM 18.4% EE 4.7%

9. Cultivations Culativated in association with legumes To improve nutritional value Higher DM Weeds suppression Soil fertility

10. Cultivations Harvested after 3-4 months At intervals of 6-8 weeks 200 kgs /ha

11. Preservation Make hay Cut at early stage Stem……….too course Dry grass pellets

12. Preservation Silage making Harvest……6-7 weeks Higher moisture content Materials improve silage quality

13. Preservation Mollasses Coccoa meal Pineapple by-products Cassava pomace

14. Impacts Aggressiveness Water storage Soil losses less Biological pests control Reduce fertilizer expenses

15. Antinutritional factors Oxalates Phytates Sapponins Tannins Cyanogenic glycosides

16. Summary Varieties Temperate areas Similar to cane sugar Aggressive No need for fertilizer

17. Summary Reproduction by Stolon, seeds High DM Preserved Silage or hay

18. The End