DRY MATTER YIELD OF UNCULTIVATED FORAGE SPECIES AS AFFECTED BY GRADED LEVELS OF POULTRY MANURE IN SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT OF ALIERO LGA, KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The Dry Matter Yield (DMY) of uncultivated forage species as affected by varying levels of poultry manure was investigated in the semi-arid area of Aliero LGA of Kebbi State at the Botanical Garden of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology during the 2021 rainy season. Treatments consisted of four varying poultry manure rates (0.00kg/T, 1.50kg/T, 2.50kg/T and 3.50kg/T) representing treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively which were applied two weeks before the commencement of the experiment, on four blocks consisting of three plots per block with each plot measuring (2.5m x 1.5m). The plots were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). All the free growing natural pasture within each plot were cleared to allow regrowth under rain-fed regime. There were two (2) weeks fortnightly visits to observe the regrowth of the forage species and to remove weeds from the experimental plots and to clear the paths which lasted for nine weeks. After nine weeks of free growth, one (1) replicate from each treatment was randomly, selected for herbage harvest and estimation yield. Using a sharp sickle, all the forages of the selected plots were individually cut from 5cm above the ground level. Fresh herbage yield for individual specie were oven dried at 650C for 48 hours to determine the dry matter weights in grams (g) with the use of weighing balance. The dominant forage species identified are; two forbs (Euphobia convolvuloides and Sida cordifolia), three grasses (Eragrotis tremula, Axonopus spp and Pennisetum horndeoides) and one legume (Crotalaria spp). The poultry manure application rates had significant (p<0.05) effect on the DMY of the uncultivated forage species with the highest (94.20g) DMY was recorded for Pennisetum horndeoides in treatment 3 while Axonopus spp had the least value (6.23g) in treatment 4 but with the highest value (36.00g) recorded in the control treatment. The study indicated a positive response of the uncultivated forages to poultry manure rates for high dry matter yield