Effects of Fertilizer Type and Harvest Date on Yield and Quality Traits of Brachiaria Hybrid Mulato II Grass (Brachiaria Ruziziensis) in Highlands of Ethiopia

The experiment was conducted with the objective of assessing the effects of fertilizer type, and harvesting date on plant growth traits, dry matter (DM) yield and nutritional values of Brachiaria hybrid Mulato II grass. A two-factor factorial experiment was used based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The fertilizer type had three levels: chemical fertilizer, manure, and control (without fertilizer) while the three harvesting dates were: 45, 75, and 105 days of plant age. The spacing between rows and plants within rows was 0.3 m and 0.5 m, respectively. All plots were harvested and a sample was taken from each plot for measurement of quality traits. The result of the analysis of variance showed significant effects of harvest date and fertilizer type on all the traits, with the exception of crude protein (CP) in fertilizers. The harvesting date and the fertilizer interaction effects were significant for plant height, leaf to stem ratio (LSR), root number, CP, Ash and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). All morphological traits except LSR were increased by increasing harvesting date. For LSR, the higher value was obtained in early cutting. For quality traits; the Ash and CP values decreased and NDF, ADF and ADL values increased as the plant age increased, indicating that forage quality was decreased in late cutting (105 day). In comparisons between fertilizer levels, the higher values of all morphological traits except LSR were obtained by the application of manure fertilizer followed by chemical fertilizer. The higher mean values of CP and LSR were obtained by the application of chemical fertilizer and without fertilizer, respectively. The results of this study showed that most of the morphological traits of the grass were less affected by the interaction between fertilizer type and harvesting days. BMII grass harvested from 105 days using manure fertilizer had greater DM yield than the application of chemical fertilizer and without fertilizer which would be more beneficial to get high quantity yields and considered as an option to solve the shortage of feed.