The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.

70(1), 2020

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF THREE PERENNIAL

FORAGE SPECIES OF PANICUM GRASS IN SUB-TROPICAL
SEMI-ARID ZONE, PESHAWAR
Ashar Farooq1, Mohammad Salim2, Muhammad Tahir Khan3,
Zahid Rauf1, Ahmed Hussain2 and Muhammad Bilal Zia1
ABSTRACT
The research was conducted to find out the relative performance of three
perennial forage species of Panicum grass subjected to different clipping stages at
Range Research Garden, Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar. Randomized Complete
Block Design with Factorial arrangement having four replications was used for layout of
the experiment. Treatment combinations consisted of three species i.e. Panicum
antidotale, Panicum coloratum and Panicum maximum and three clipping stages viz. Pre-
boot; Full flowering and Seed Ripe stage. Fresh forage yield was determined immediately
after clipping. The samples were oven dried to determine dry matter yield and In-Vitro Dry
Matter Digestibility. The data were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for
Factorial arrangement. Significant difference between individual means was separated
using Tukey's HSD test. The results of the study for comparison of species indicated that
fresh forage yield (t/ha) and In-Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (%) of Panicum maximum
was higher significantly (P< 0.05) followed by Panicum antidotale and Panicum
coloratum. Dry matter (%) of Panicum antidotale was higher significantly (P< 0.05) than
that of Panicum maximum and Panicum coloratum. The results of the study for
comparison of clipping stages revealed that the fresh yield at Full Flowering stage was
higher significantly (P< 0.05) than pre-boot and Seed ripe clipping stages. Analysis of
data showed that Dry Matter (%) increased significantly as grasses grew from pre-boot
stage till seed ripe stage. Keeping in view the highest forage yield and IVDMD, Panicum
maximum was found to be the best species to meet the forage demand and nutritional
requirements of livestock. Intermediate stage between Pre-boot and Full flowering stage
was found to be the best stage for harvesting to maximize forage yield and nutritive
value.
Keywords: Clipping stages, Fresh yield, Dry Matter (DM), In-vitro dry matter
digestibility (IVDMD).
INTRODUCTION
Panicum is considered as one of the largest genus of Poaceae family
having approximately 450 species. The species of the genus are widely
distributed throughout the world in different ecological zones. Many species are
found in sub-tropical regions. However, the genus is also well represented in
temperate regions. Panicum genera comprises of several species that have high
forage potential. Blue panic (Panicum antidotale), Guinea grass (Panicum
maximum) and Coloured Guinea grass (Panicum coloratum) are some of the
better used and well known species (Aliscioni et al., 2003). Livestock sector is

1
Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar
2
Forestry and Wildlife Department, University of Haripur
3
Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Agriculture, Peshawar
The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

the largest sub-sector in agriculture during the past years. It contributes to foreign
exchange income and accounts for about 3.1% of total exports accounting for
11.70% to the Gross Domestic Product during the financial year 2019-20
(Anonymous, 2020). Rangelands are the largest natural resource of Pakistan
having about 45.2 million hectare area. (Mohammad, 1989). For improving
forage production and its utilization, it is essential to have awareness of nutritive
value of range species and their impact on livestock production (Islam and
Adams, 2000). Good nutritive value of forages and sustainable pasture
management strongly contribute to high levels of animal performance and health
in terms of production of milk, multiple births, growth rate or disease resistance.
Forage grasses with high yielding production and having better nutritive value
play an important role in meeting the nutritional requirements of livestock. Such
perennial forages have an effective use in feeding programs of livestock. The
forage grasses can be stored as hay & for making silage and are used in fodder
shortage periods during winter (Anonymous, 2001). Introduction and cultivation
of high-quality forages with high yield and wider adaptability to environmental
stresses is demand of the situation. This could coup the shortage of quality feed
and subsequently increase livestock productivity (Jamil et al., 2018). Keeping in
view the shortage of fodder and low rangeland productivity in Pakistan, the most
important thing is to establish high yielding and more palatable grass species in
their suitable eco-sites. The comparative study for yield and nutritional value of
three Panicum grass species namely Panicum antidotale, Panicum maximum
and Panicum coloratum species have never been explored in Pakistan. In this
context, the present study was designed.

Objectives of the Study

The proposed study was focused to achieve the following objectives.

 Comparing the forage yield of Panicum antidotale; Panicum coloratum

and Panicum maximum grass species at three different clipping stages

 Evaluating the In-Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility of Panicum antidotale;

Panicum coloratum and Panicum maximum grass species at three
different clipping stages

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Experiment was carried out in experimental area at Range Research

Garden, Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar. The site of the experiment is
situated at 34.017113° North, 71.4809949° East with an altitude of 335 meters.

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

Fig.1. Showing map of study area

Data of soil samples collected from the experimental site showed a sandy
loam texture, pH (7.64), EC (0.19 dSm-1),bulk density (1.53 gcm-3), moisture
(7.8%), organic matter content (0.53%), phosphorus (0.36 mgKg -1) and low
sulphur (0.027 mgKg-1) at 0-15 cm depth. Rainfall during the study period was
485 mm.

The layout of experiment was designed using Randomized Complete

Block Design (RCBD) with Factorial arrangement having four replications. Root
slips of forage grasses namely Panicum antidotale, Panicum maximum and
Panicum coloratum were planted in March, 2020 in 3m x 3m plots at a spacing of
50 cm between rows and root slips. Irrigation was provided at the time of planting
and two irrigations in June and July, 2020. The experiment was carried out from
March, 2020 to November, 2020.

The forage species were manually harvested at three stages of

growth viz. a. viz. Pre-boot (CS 1), Full Flowering (CS 2) and Seed ripe stage
(CS 3). Green fodder yield per hectare was recorded for all the three
clipping stages. One square meter (1m2) quadrat was used to in each sample
plot to harvest the grasses for fresh forage yield determination. For air-dried
forage yield, grass samples were air dried until the weight of dry matter became
constant.

For forage quality study, the grass samples were got analyzed from the
Forage Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Animal Nutrition, University of
Agriculture, Peshawar. According to the method of AOAC (2007), the grass
samples were put to analysis for DM (method ID 934.01.ISO 900). IVDMD was

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

determined by the technique Telly and Terry (1960). Forage analysis was carried
out with three (03) replications.

All data were analyzed with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique for
Factorial arrangement. SPSS Software package (Version 20.0) was used for
data analysis. Significant difference between individual means was separated
using Tukey's HSD test.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Forage yield (fresh/green) of Panicum grasses at different clipping stages

The freshly cut forage yield of three Panicum grasses is presented below
in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Fresh/Green Forage Yield (t/ha) of three Panicum species at three

different clipping stages

It is clear from the figure above that fresh forage yield of all the three
species increases from pre-boot stage till seed ripe stage. Panicum maximum
had the highest fresh forage yield at all clipping stages followed by Panicum
antidotale and Panicum coloratum.Forage yield was maximum at full flowering
stage followed by seed ripe stage and pre-boot stage. In all the three clipping
stages, Panicum coloratum had the minimum production.

Statistical Analysis

Results of statistical analysis are presented below:

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

Comparison between Species

A comparison between species is shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Showing results of statistical analysis for comparison between species

Dependent (I) species (J) species Mean Sig.

Variable Difference
(I-J)
Panicum coloratum .5942 .331
Panicum antidotale
Panicum maximum -1.9358* .000
Fresh Panicum antidotale -.5942 .331
Panicum coloratum
Forage Yield Panicum maximum -2.5300* .000
Panicum antidotale 1.9358* .000
Panicum maximum
Panicum coloratum 2.5300* .000
* 5% significance level

The results reveal that there is no significant difference between fresh

yields of Panicum antidotale and Panicum coloratum while fresh yield of Panicum
maximum is significantly higher than Panicum antidotale and Panicum coloratum.

Comparison between three Clipping Stages

A comparison between three clipping stages is shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Showing results of statistical analysis for comparison between clipping

stages

Mean
Dependent
(I) Stage (J) Stage Difference Sig.
Variable
(I-J)
Flowering -1.8633* .000
Pre-boot
Seed Ripe -.7283 .197
Fresh Forage Pre-boot 1.8633* .000
Flowering
Yield Seed Ripe 1.1350* .026
Pre-boot .7283 .197
Seed Ripe
Flowering -1.1350* .026
* 5% significance level

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

Interaction of species and clipping stages

Table 3. Results of statistical analysis for interaction of species and clipping

stages
Source Dependent Variable Mean Square F Sig.
Species * Stage Fresh .858 .850 .506

The results presented in above table show that interaction effect of

species and clipping stages is non-significant.
Panicum maximum had the highest fresh yield followed by Panicum
antidotale and Panicum coloratum. Afzal et.al. (2007) reported that aboveground
fresh production of Green panic (Panicum maximum var. Gatton) was
significantly higher than that of Blue panic grass (Panicum antidotale) in the
rainfed conditions of National Agricultural research Center (NARC), Islamabad.
Arshadullah et al. (2009) also concluded that fresh biomass of Panicum
maximum was more (28.32 t/ha) than Panicum antidotale (17.0 t/ha) in Pothwar
plateau.

Yield was lowest in pre-boot stage and was maximum in Full flowering
stage. The findings are in line with the findings of Mirza et al. (2002); Sarwar et
al. (2002); Mushtaque et al., (2010); Ahmad et al. (2012) and Lounglawan et al.
(2014). The increase in yield is due to the fact that the fiber content also
increases with increase in maturity which supports the yield.

2. Dry Matter (DM %) of Panicum Grasses at three different clipping stages

The dry matter yield of three Panicum grasses is presented in Fig.3.

Fig. 3. Dry Matter (%) of three Panicum species at three different clipping
stages
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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

It is clear from the figure above that Dry Matter content of all the three
species increases from pre-boot stage till seed ripe stage. Panicum antidotale
had the highest DM content followed by Panicum maximum and Panicum
coloratum.

Statistical Analysis
Results of statistical analysis are presented below:

Comparison between Species

A comparison between species is shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Showing results of statistical analysis for comparison between species
Dependent (I) species (J) species Mean Difference Sig.
Variable (I-J)
*
Panicum coloratum 2.7511 .000
Panicum antidotale *
Panicum maximum 1.4833 .001
*
Panicum antidotale -2.7511 .000
Dry Matter Panicum coloratum *
Panicum maximum -1.2678 .005
*
Panicum antidotale -1.4833 .001
Panicum maximum *
Panicum coloratum 1.2678 .005
* 5% significance level

The results reveal that there is a significant difference between all the
three species of Panicum. Based on homogeneous sub-sets (Tukey HSD), Dry
matter (%) of Panicum antidotale is significantly higher than the other two
species of Panicum. Dry matter (%) of Panicum coloratum is the lowest.

Comparison between three Clipping Stages

A comparison between three clipping stages is shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Showing results of statistical analysis for comparison between clipping

stages
Dependent (I) Stage (J) Stage Mean Difference Sig.
Variable (I-J)
*
Flowering -2.7389 .000
Pre-boot *
Seed Ripe -2.5400 .000
*
Dry Matter Pre-boot 2.7389 .000
Flowering
Seed Ripe .1989 .834
*
Pre-boot 2.5400 .000
Seed Ripe
Flowering -.1989 .834
* 5% significance level

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

Interaction of species and clipping stages

Table 6. Showing results of statistical analysis for interaction of species and
clipping stages
Source Dependent Variable Mean Square F Sig.
species * Stage Dry Matter 3.860 7.226 .001

The results presented in above table show that interaction effect of

species and clipping stages is non-significant.

Analysis of data revealed that dry matter (%) increased as grasses grew
from pre-boot stage to Full flowering stage. The results support the findings of
Mirza et al. (2002); Sarwar et al. (2006); Mushtaque et al. (2010); Ahmed et al.
(2012); Lounglawan et al. (2014) and Chiphwanya et al. (2017). The increase in
the yield is a result of the fact that as the grasses reach towards maturity, the
fiber content (cell wall contents) also increases which supports the yield.
Panicum antidotale had the highest dry matter followed by Panicum
maximum and Panicum coloratum. Arshadullah et al. (2006) found that Panicum
maximum showed 9.32 t/ha dry biomass whereas Panicum antidotale showed
6.78 t/ha dry biomass respectively. On the contrary, Arshadullah et al. (2009)
reported that the DM yield of Panicum antidotale (Blue panic) was better than
Panicum maximum (Guinea grass).

In-Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD) composition of Panicum Grasses

at three different clipping stages

IVDMD contents composition of three Panicum grasses is presented

below in figure:

Fig. 4. In-Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility (IVDMD) of three Panicum species

at three different clipping stages
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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

Statistical Analysis

Results of statistical analysis are presented below:

Comparison between Species

Table 7. Showing results of statistical analysis for comparison between species

Dependent (I) species (J) species Mean Difference Sig.

Variable (I-J)
Panicum coloratum 7.4067* .000
Panicum antidotale
Panicum maximum 13.2567* .000
Panicum antidotale -7.4067* .000
IVDMD Panicum coloratum
Panicum maximum 5.8500* .000
Panicum antidotale -13.2567* .000
Panicum maximum
Panicum coloratum -5.8500* .000
* 5% significance level

Comparison between three Clipping Stages

A comparison between three clipping stages is shown in Table 8.

Table 8. Statistical analysis for comparison between clipping stages

Dependent (I) Stage (J) Stage Mean Difference Sig.

Variable (I-J)
Flowering -4.4100* .000
Pre-boot
Seed Ripe -7.2933* .000
Pre-boot 4.4100* .000
IVDMD Flowering
Seed Ripe -2.8833* .005
Pre-boot 7.2933* .000
Seed Ripe
Flowering 2.8833* .005
* 5% significance level

Interaction of species and clipping stages

Table 9. Showing results of statistical analysis for interaction of species and

clipping stages

Source Dependent Variable Mean F Sig.

Square
Species * Stage IVDMD 52.019 18.480 .000

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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

The results presented in above table show that interaction effect of

species and clipping stages is non-significant.

Panicum maximum had the highest IVDMD (%) followed by Panicum

coloratum and Panicum antidotale. IVDMD content of grasses was the highest at
pre-boot stage followed by Full flowering stage and was the lowest at seed ripe
stage. IVDMD content of grasses decreased with phenological development of
stages. These results resemble with the findings of Tessema et al. (2010); Bora
et al. (2011); Reddy et al., (2012); Agza et al. (2013) and Chiphwanya et al.
(2017) who reported the decrease in IVDMD with increase in maturity. The
reason for this decrease is that lignin is deposited in the cell wall as the maturity
increases, and the proportion of stems increases and ultimately the digestibility
decreases when compared with early stages.

Research work by some researchers on three Panicum species is

presented in table-10:

Table 10. Showing research work done on the yield and nutritive value of three
Panicum species by researchers

Grass Species FY (t/ha) DM (t/ha) Reference

30 4.25 Heuze et al. (2016)
Panicum antidotale
10.50 3.88 Arshadullah et al. (2009)
- 4.23 Heuze et al. (2017)
Panicum coloratum
29.25 9.28 Anwar et al. (2012)
- 7.0 Heuze and Tran (2020)
17.09 5.72 Arshadullah et al. (2012)
Panicum maximum
16.38 5.54 Anwar et al. (2012)
2.08 0.71 Arshadullah et al. (2009)

In Pakistan, very little information is available on the three Panicum

species for forage yield and nutritive value. No literature is available on the
comparative performance of Panicum species in question. Few isolated studies
have been conducted by some researchers. As depicted in the above table,
Arshadullah et al. (2009) reported that Panicum antidotale had better fresh
matter yield and dry matter yield as compared to Panicum maximum forage
production. In another study, Anwar et al. (2012) reported better fresh and dry
matter yield of Panicum coloratum as compared to Panicum maximum. Heuze et
al. (2016); Heuze et al. (2017) and Heuze and Tran (2020) have reported
separately the yield and quality parameters of three Panicum grasses. While
comparing each other, it is found that Panicum maximum had significantly more
DM yield than Panicum antidotale and Panicum coloratum. These results
coincide with the findings of this study. However, the research work by Pakistani
researchers differ from this study.
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The Pakistan Journal of Forestry Vol.70(1), 2020

CONCLUSION

It is concluded from the results that forage yield and nutritive value of
Panicum maximum is significantly higher than Panicum coloratum and Panicum
antidotale. Forage yield and quality at Full flowering stage is better than as
compared to pre-boot and seed ripe stage. Full flowering stage is the best stage
for harvesting these grasses. As for nutrition, good nutrient is IVDMD which is
higher in early stages of growth and decrease with maturity.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the results, the following recommendations are made:

 Panicum maximum is recommended for use as a cultivated fodder crop

and for hay & silage purposes in sub-tropical semi-arid zone, Peshawar.

 In-vivo dry matter digestibility as well as livestock production should be

further evaluated.

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