Production and Nutrient Value of Elephant Grass in Agroforestry Systems in Indonesia

Abstract

Research on elephant grass with 2 x 2 factorial repeated five times has been carried out at AGRO-1 and AGRO-2, Tuntang watershed. Observed variables were: plant height, forage production, dry matter content, crude protein, crude fiber. Soil samples were observed including soil bulk density, pH, and total N. Plant height in AGRO-1 was higher (85.1 cm) than in the AGRO-2 system (71.5 cm). Season affects plant growth as indicated by lower plant height in the dry season (66.8 cm) than in the rainy season (89.8 cm). The AGRO-1 system has a better forage yield than the AGRO-2 system. Forage dry matter varies between agroforestry systems and seasons. The lowest DM is in the rainy season at AGRO-1. Crude protein in AGRO-1 is lower than in AGRO-2. The highest protein content in AGRO-1 in the rainy season (11.3 %), the lowest in AGRO-2 in the dry season (6.0 %). The crude fiber of elephant grass in AGRO-2 is higher than in AGRO-1. The crude fiber content in the dry season is higher than in the rainy season. The conclusion of this study was that elephant grass in AGRO-1 had better growth, production, and quality than in AGRO-2.

Keywords

• crude protein
• crude fiber
• forage production
• nitrogen
• pennisetum purpureum schumach