Fodder Production and Grassland Management

Buffel grass

BLUE BUFFEL GRASS
(Cenchrus glaucus)

Blue buffel grass - Neelakolukattaipull Var. Co₁:

• Cenchrus is a promising green grass type which performs well in drylands cultivation under rainfed conditions. Cenchrus cilliaris (Anjan grass) and C. setigerus (Black anjan grass) are the two commonly grown species but low yielding in nature. C. glaucus is yet another type found to grow well in dry land areas but superior than the other species.

Season and Variety:

North - East Monsoon CO₁ (Neela Kolukattai):

• Can be grown in Erode, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai and other rainfed tracts of the state.
• Soil Type
  • Well drained soil with high calcium content is suitable.
  • Ploughing the Field Plough the field twice or thrice with an iron plough to ensure good tilth.
  • Application of FYM Apply and spread 5 t/ha of FYM on the unploughed field and incorporate the manure into the soil during ploughing.
• Application of Fertilizer
  • Apply NPK fertilizers as per soil test recommendations. If the soil test is not done, follow the blanket recommendation of 25 kg N, 40 kg P₂O₅, and 20 kg K₂O per hectare.
  • Basal dressing : Apply full dose of NPK before sowing.
  • Top dressing : After every harvest apply 25 kg N/ha after the rains.
• Sowing
  • Seed rate: Sow the seeds at 6-8 kg/ha.
  • Spacing: Give a spacing of 50 cm between rows and 30 cm between plants.
  • Seeds are to be sown at shallow depth (1 cm) and cover with soil.
  •  Care to be taken for the seeds not to be blown away by wind while sowing.
  • Fresh seeds will be dormant for 6-8 months. To break dormancy soak the seeds in Potassium nitrate 1% solution for 48 hours prior to sowing.

• Weed Management Hand weeding can be done as and when necessary
  • Harvest first cut on 70th or 75th day after sowing and subsequent 4-6 cuts depending on growth.
• Inter cropping
  • Highly drought resistant legume fodder Stylosanthes scabra can be intercropped (ratio of 1:3).
• Yield: A pure crop yields 40 t/ha/year in 4-6 cuts.