The effect of N fertilizer applied at various growth stages on the yield of the following three varieties of Panic grass was investigated : Makarikari grass,
Panicum coloratum L., Coloured guinea grass,
P.
coloratum L., and Guinea grass,
P.
maximum Jacq.
In a pot experiment, plants were protected from rain and were supplied with N fertilizer in the following method after each cutting at different growth stages : Plants were fertilized with the same total amount of N. but each top dressing treatment was different. Amount of N applied was increased in one plot (F
1 plot) and decreased in another plot (F
3 plot) gradually, and in the remaining plot (F
2 plot), N was applied constantly.
The results obtained were summarized as follows.
1. In accordance with the assumption in the previous paper that Makarikari grass might be an early flowering type, Guinea grass a late one and Coloured guinea grass an intermediate one. It was observed in the undefoliated plants of this experiment that the time of heading commencement was earlier and the heading tiller numbers in autumn were less in the order, Makarikari grass, Coloured guinea grass, Guinea grass.
2. In connection with the difference in the growth habit of each grass, the increase of the heading tiller numbers due to the increase of the amount of N applied was significant after the first cutting in Makarikairi grass and after the second cutting in Coloured guinea grass and even after the third cutting in Guinea grass.
3. In the F
3 plot of Makarikari grass and Guinea grass, tiller numbers were increased after the first cutting and plants maintained more tillers until the third cutting than that in the other plots. In Coloured guinea grass, the effect of N on tiller numbers was less until the third cutting than in the other grasses. After the third cutting, this effect of N was significant in every one of tested grasses.
4. In every kind of tested grass, the effect of the amount of N fertilizer on the herbage yield was significant when temperature was high and plant grew vigorously.
5. From the above mentioned, it might be considered that in choosing N fertilizer schedule, it would be preferable for high yield to lay emphasis on the earlier application in the grasses of the earlier flowering type than in those of the later flowering type.
View full abstract