Buffel Grass (<i>Pennisetum ciliare</i>) Ecotypes Suitable for Subtropical Livestock in the North Central Region of Mexico

Abstract

The objective was to determine the forage production and nutritional quality of six buffel grass ecotypes in vegetative and physiological maturity stages. The experiment was carried out at the Los Cañones Experimental Station in Zacatecas, Mexico. The ecotypes were as follows: E-42, E-45, E-66, E-72, E-S245, and the Titan variety as a control. The experiment design was a completely randomized block with three replications, and the evaluation years were from 2020 to 2022. The variables measured were as follows: plant height (PH), dry matter yield (DMY), leaf (Lf) and stem-inflorescence (St), crude protein (CP), neutral (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF). Pearson’s correlation and a combined analysis of variance were performed for each growth stage. A correlation analysis showed significant relationships (p p p p < 0.05). Ecotypes E-42 and E-S245 are alternatives to improve feed efficiency in the dry subtropical climate of Zacatecas.

Keywords

• forage production
• nutritional quality
• crude protein
• buffel grass
• vegetative
• maturity