Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 110
Research Article
Dry matter accumulation dynamics, morphological characteristics and nutritive value of
desho (Pennisetum glaucifolium) grass varieties in the central Highlands of Ethiopia
Gezahagn Kebede
1
*, Fekede Feyissa
2
, Mulisa Faji
1
, Kedir Mohammed
1
, Mesfin Dejene
1
, Gezahegn Mengistu
1
,
Diriba Geleti
2
, Getnet Assefa
3
, Mengistu Alemayehu
4
, Solomon Mengistu
1
, Alemayehu Mengistu
5
and Aschalew
Tsegahun
1
1
Holetta Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box, 31, Holetta, Ethiopia
2
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box, 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
3
International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box, 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4
Ethiopian Agricultural Research Council Secretariat, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
5
Forage and Rangeland Scientist, Urael Branch, P.O. Box 62291, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
*Corresponding author: gezk2007@yahoo.co.uk
Received: April 12, 2023; Received in revised form: May 12, 2023; Accepted: May 23, 2023
Abstract: Desho (Pennisetum glaucifolium) grass is one of the indigenous cultivated multipurpose perennial forage
crops grown for animal feed and soil conservation practices in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to evaluate
desho grass varieties for their morphological characteristics, dry matter yield performance, and nutritive value in
the central highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted at Holetta Agricultural Research Center during the
main cropping seasons of 2013 - 2017 under rain fed conditions. Four varieties of desho grass, viz. Areka (DZF #
590), Kulumsa (DZF # 592), Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591), and Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589) were planted in a
randomized complete block design with three replications. Though the plant height of desho grass varieties was not
significant (P>0.05) at each production year and combined over years, it significantly differed among the
production years. The number of nodes per plant and leaf to stem ratio varied significantly while the internode
length was not significant among desho grass varieties. The combined over years analysis indicated that the leaf
and stem dry matter yields varied significantly (P<0.05) for desho grass varieties. Furthermore, the leaf and stem
dry matter yields differed significantly among the production years. The total dry matter yield accumulated by desho
grass varieties varied significantly and Areka (DZF # 590) variety accumulated the highest dry matter yield (23.8
t/ha) followed by Kulumsa (DZF # 592) variety (23.1 t/ha), while Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591) accumulated the least
(18.8 t/ha) dry matter yield. The first year of production produced the lowest dry matter yield while the
accumulation of dry matter yield increased for consecutive production years but the yield declined in the last
production year. The highest dry matter yield was accumulated in the 2016 production year and it had 19.8 and
4.3% advantages over the 2014 and 2015 production years, respectively. The crude protein yield and nutritive value
among desho grass varieties was not significant. The result indicated that the crude protein yield of desho grass
varieties ranged from 2.8 to 4.0 t/ha with a mean of 3.4 t/ha. Similarly, the crude protein content ranged from 10.7
to 12.5% with a mean of 11.7%. Generally, the varieties have comparable performances for measured traits in the
study area. However, further study should be conducted over locations and years to select and recommend the best
variety for the study area and to other similar agro-ecologies.
Keywords: Crude protein yield, Desho grass, Feed, Forage yield, Nutritive value
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 111
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
1. Introduction
Livestock is an integral component of most of the
agricultural activities in Ethiopia. It provides draught
power and manure for crop production and is the
source of food and industrial raw material (Getahun,
2019). The livestock population of the country is
estimated to be 70.3 million cattle, 42.9 million
sheep, 52.5 million goats, 2.1 million horses, 0.4
million mules, 10.8 million donkeys, 8.1 million
camels, and 57.0 million poultry (CSA, 2021). The
share of the livestock sub-sector in the national
economy is estimated to be 12-16% to the total Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), which is 30- 35% to the
agricultural GDP (Ayele et al., 2002); 19% to the
export earnings (FAO, 2003); and 31% of the total
employment (Getachew, 2003).
Despite the enormous contribution of livestock to the
livelihood of farmers, the availability of poor quality
feed resources remains to be the major bottleneck to
livestock production in Ethiopia (Seyoum and
Zinash, 1995; Zinash et al., 1995; Alemayehu, 2005).
The feed resources potential in Ethiopia is variable
over seasons (Adugna, 2007; Firew and Getnet, 2010;
Yayneshet, 2010) and natural pasture grazing
accounts for the major share of feed supply (54.5%)
followed by crop residues (31.1%) and hay which
contribute 7.4% of the total feed (CSA, 2021). Agro-
industrial by-products, improved forage crops, and
non-conventional feed resources like animal by-
products, vegetable and fruit wastes contribute the
remaining 2.0, 0.6, and 4.4% of the total feed,
respectively (CSA, 2021).
Traditional livestock production system mainly
depends upon poor pasturelands and crop residues
which are usually inadequate to support reasonable
livestock production (Tsige, 2000; Assefa, 2005).
These feed resources are high in fiber, with low to
moderate digestibility and low levels of nitrogen
(Preston, 1995; Tsige, 2000). Such low-quality feeds
are associated with a low voluntary intake, thus
resulting in insufficient nutrient supply, low
productivity, and even weight loss (Hindrichsen et
al., 2004; Adugna, 2008; Shapiro et al., 2017).
However, Berhanu et al. (2003) reported that
improved nutrition through the adoption of sown
forage could substantially increase livestock
productivity.
Among the different improved forage crops
recommended for various agro-ecological zones of
Ethiopia, desho (Pennisetum glaucifolium) grass is
one of the useful perennial forage crops abundantly
grown for soil conservation practices and animal feed
in the highlands of Ethiopia (Welle et al., 2006; Leta
et al., 2013; Yakob et al., 2015). Desho grass is
native to tropical countries including Ethiopia
(Ecocrop, 2010; Leta et al., 2013; EPPO, 2014) and it
is suitable for intensive management and performs
well at an altitude ranging from 1500 to 2800 meter
above sea level (Leta et al., 2013) but performs best
at an altitude greater than 1700 2800 meter above sea
level (Welle et al., 2006). The grass is collected from
the Chencha district in Southern Ethiopia (Welle et
al., 2006). It is a highly popular, drought-tolerant
species, and is used as one of the major feeds for
ruminants (FAO, 2010; Bimrew, 2016). The grass
provides more quantities of good quality forage per
unit area and ensures regular forage supply due to its
multi-cut nature and it is very palatable for ruminants
(Ecocrop, 2010). For sustainable production, the
grass is used through cut-and-carry feeding systems
(Danano, 2007) and is also useful for hay and silage
preparation (Ecocrop, 2010). Moreover, the grass
serves as a business opportunity for farmers in
Ethiopia (Shiferaw et al., 2011; Leta et al., 2013).
The use of indigenous cultivated multipurpose forage
crops as livestock feed is very important to mitigate
the feed shortage problem (Abebe et al., 2008; Anele
et al., 2009). According to Anele et al. (2009),
indigenous forages are familiar with the smallholder
farmers, grow with low inputs, and are adaptable to
different agro-ecological conditions. However, the
yield and nutritional qualities of forage are influenced
by seasonal variations, stage of maturity, ecological
conditions, and management practices. Since desho
grass is a perennial grass, collection of data for many
years can provide the performance of the grass across
years. Therefore, this study was conducted to
evaluate desho grass varieties for their morphological
characteristics, productivity, and chemical
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 112
composition at Holetta, in the central highland of
Ethiopia.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Description of the study area
The experiment was conducted at Holetta
Agricultural Research Center (HARC) during the
main cropping seasons of 2013 - 2017 under rain fed
conditions. The center is located at 9°00'N latitude,
38°30'E longitude at an altitude of 2400 m above sea
level. It is 34 km west of Addis Ababa on the road to
Ambo and is characterized by the long-term (30
years) average annual rainfall of 1055.0 mm, average
relative humidity of 60.6%, and average maximum
and minimum air temperature of 22.2°C and 6.1°C,
respectively. The soil type of the area is
predominantly red nitosol, which is characterized by
an average organic matter content of 1.8%, total
nitrogen 0.17%, pH 5.24, and available phosphorus
4.55ppm (Gemechu, 2007). The monthly total
precipitation and mean maximum and minimum air
temperatures during the experimental periods of the
study site are indicated in Table 1.
Table 1: Weather of the study site during the experimental periods (2013-2017)
Year
Monthly total precipitation (mm)
Total
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2013
0.0
0.0
23.0
133.2
43.8
120.7
81.8
201.9
110.1
19.1
0.0
0.0
733.6
2014
20.7
21.0
31.1
36.1
94.3
68.4
137.3
222.4
70.3
9.8
2.6
2.6
716.6
2015
0.0
25.3
1.0
31.3
86.6
87.6
287.2
157.8
195.7
53.6
64.4
3.5
994.0
2016
0.0
14.0
73.6
36.4
73.5
253.3
159.3
249.5
88.5
18.8
0.0
0.0
966.9
2017
17.5
11.3
48.1
84.2
13.6
117.1
194.0
237.2
107.4
10.0
0.0
8.4
848.8
30-yr
17.0
35.1
53.7
73.2
63.9
116.0
242.3
246.4
132.1
18.9
7.6
5.5
1011.9
Year
Monthly mean maximum air temperature (
0
C)
Mean
2013
27.1
28.4
28.8
26.4
25.9
25.7
19.8
22.9
21.6
25.2
23.9
19.3
24.6
2014
19.6
19.3
21.2
24.4
25.3
24.9
21.4
20.9
21.4
19.9
18.9
23.1
21.7
2015
21.0
22.4
25.0
25.0
25.0
25.0
24.0
24.3
20.1
24.3
23.6
22.8
23.5
2016
22.4
25.6
23.9
24.3
23.9
21.6
21.6
20.9
21.6
23.4
25.6
25.9
23.4
2017
23.5
23.5
24.0
23.0
24.0
21.2
19.0
19.1
19.6
23.4
23.2
23.5
22.2
30-yr
23.5
24.2
24.7
23.6
24.6
22.5
20.3
19.7
20.6
22.1
22.7
23.3
22.6
Year
Monthly mean minimum air temperature (
0
C)
Mean
2013
-0.6
1.9
2.4
5.7
8.9
10.7
10.5
9.8
8.5
6.8
6.4
4.1
6.3
2014
5.1
8.7
6.7
6.3
7.0
7.2
9.0
8.4
10.3
6.5
4.3
2.8
6.8
2015
0.9
0.6
3.8
8.3
8.9
8.5
9.4
8.8
7.0
1.0
3.1
0.3
5.1
2016
5.3
8.8
8.9
10.5
10.8
9.8
10.5
10.3
8.0
3.6
2.3
0.4
7.4
2017
7.8
5.0
7.6
10.1
10.0
8.7
9.6
10.2
9.0
8.3
3.1
0.9
7.5
30-yr
3.6
5.2
6.9
8.5
9.6
7.9
9.2
9.0
7.5
4.6
2.3
2.1
6.4
30-yr = a 3o years average that was calculated from 1983 to 2012
2.2. Experimental treatments and study design
Four varieties of desho grass, viz. Areka (DZF #
590), Kulumsa (DZF # 592), Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF #
591), and Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589) were used as a
treatment. The varieties were initially collected from
altitudes of high, medium, and low areas of Ethiopia.
Accordingly, the variety Kulumsa (DZF # 592) was
collected from a higher elevation of Kulumsa site
(8°01'007''N; 03°09'350''E; 2200 meter above sea
level); Areka variety (DZF # 590) from a medium
elevation of Areka site (07°06'426''N; 037°41'703''E;
and 1717 meter above sea level); Kindu Kosha-1
variety (DZF # 591) from lower elevation of Kindu
Kosha site one (06°54'260''N; 037°35'557''E ; and
1631 meter above sea level); and Kindu Kosha-2
variety (DZF # 589) also from lower elevation of
Kindu Kosha site two (06°54'418''N; 037°35'054''E;
1524 meter above sea level) as reported by Solomon
et al. (2019). The experiment was aimed at
comparing the performance of desho grass varieties
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 113
over years. This experiment was conducted during
the main cropping seasons of 2013 - 2017 under rain
fed conditions. It was conducted in randomized
complete block design with three replications. The
plot size was 3 by 2 m, and the spacing between rows
and plants was 30 and 20 cm, respectively. A spacing
of 1.5 m and 1.0 m was also used between blocks and
plots, respectively.
2.3. Management of experimental plots
The land was plowed in April and harrowed in early
June for the experiment. The prepared experimental
land was divided into three blocks and desho grass
was planted vegetatively using root splits on a well-
prepared seedbed. The recommended fertilizer rate of
18 kg N ha
-1
+ 20 kg P ha
-1
in the form of
diammonium phosphate (DAP) was uniformly
applied at the sowing. Plots were hand-weeded twice
per year to reduce the effect of weeds on crop
performance. Moreover, appropriate agronomic
management was uniformly applied for all varieties
to improve the yield per unit area. Accordingly, one-
third of 50 kg N ha
-1
in the form of urea was applied
during the short rainy season and the remaining two-
thirds were applied at the active vegetative growth
stage every year. The first-hand weeding was done 30
days after full crop emergence and the second-hand
weeding was performed 30 days after the first
weeding. Single harvest was made for the first year
of production while double cuts were made for
subsequent production years. The first cut was made
in early August while the second cut was done in
early November prior to the onset of frost in the
study area.
2.4. Data collection and measurements
Sampling for the determination of morphological
characteristics and yields were made from the interior
rows. Plant height was measured using steel tape
from the ground level to the tip of a plant at the
forage harvesting stage. Five randomly selected
plants were used to determine the plant height of each
treatment. The plants were clipped 5 cm above the
ground at the forage harvesting stage to determine the
yield and nutritional quality of desho grass varieties.
The weight of the total fresh biomass yield was
recorded from each plot in the field and the estimated
500 g sample was taken from each plot to the
laboratory. The sample taken from each plot was
weighed to know the total sample fresh weight using
sensitive table balance and oven-dried for 24 hours at
a temperature of 105
o
C for herbage dry matter yield
determination. The second estimated 500 g sample
taken from each plot was weighed to know the total
sample fresh weight using sensitive table balance and
manually fractionated into leaf and stem. The
morphological parts were separately weighed to
know their sample fresh weight, and then oven-dried
for 24 hours at a temperature of 105
o
C and separately
weighed to estimate the dry proportions of these
morphological parts. The proportion of each
morphological part in percent was then computed as
the ratio of each dry biomass proportion to total dry
biomass multiplied by 100. The dried leaf and stem
proportion were also used to estimate the leaf to stem
ratio. The leaf and stem dry matter yields were
estimated by multiplying the dried proportion of the
respective morphological part by the total dry matter
yield and then dividing by 100. Moreover, the crude
protein yield was determined by multiplying the total
dry matter yield with the crude protein and then
divided by 100. Five plants were randomly taken at
the forage harvesting stage to determine the number
of nodes and internode length per plant.
2.5. Chemical analysis
The harvested forage samples were oven-dried at a
temperature of 65
o
C for 72 hours to determine the
chemical composition and in-vitro dry matter
digestibility. The dried samples were then ground to
pass a 1 mm sieve for laboratory analysis. The total
ash content was determined by oven drying the
samples at 105
0
C overnight and by combusting the
samples in a muffle furnace at 550
o
C for 6 hours
(AOAC, 1990). The nitrogen (N) content was
determined following the micro-Kjeldahl digestion,
distillation, and titration procedures (AOAC, 1995),
and the crude protein (CP) content was estimated by
multiplying the N content by 6.25. The NDF, ADF,
and ADL contents were determined according to Van
Soest and Robertson's procedure (1985). The two-
stage in-vitro fermentation technique of Tilley and
Terry as modified by Van Soest and Robertson
procedure (1985) was used to determine in-vitro dry
matter digestibility (IVDMD).
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 114
2.6. Statistical analysis
The collected data were subjected to the analysis of
variance procedures of the SAS general linear model
statistical software package (SAS, 2002). Only traits
that show a significant difference in analysis of
variance (ANOVA) were promoted to mean
comparisons using the least significance difference
(LSD) at a 5% probability level.
The data were analyzed using the following model:
[1]
Where,
Y
ijk
is the dependent variable
µ is overall mean
V
i
is the effect of variety i
Y
j
is the effect of year j
(VY)
ij
is the interaction effect of variety i and
year j
B
k
is the effect of the block k
e
ijk
is a random error
3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Plant height and morphological
characteristics of desho grass
The plant height of desho grass varieties at forage
harvesting did not vary significantly (P>0.05) at each
production year and combined over years (Table 2).
However, the plant height of desho grass varieties
was significantly (P<0.05) affected by the production
years. Accordingly, the highest plant height was
recorded in 2014 followed by 2017 and 2015 while
the lowest was obtained in the 2013 production year.
The shortest plant height for perennial forage crops
like desho grass in the first production year is
expected in the cooler tropical highlands. Because the
first year is the establishment year for perennial
forage crops in the cooler highland areas and they
express their genetic potential afterward.
The variation in plant height among the production
years might be due to differences in precipitation,
minimum and maximum temperatures, and the
differential response of the varieties for the variable
weather conditions that existed during experimental
periods. The variation in plant height of desho grass
varieties reported by different studies is also non-
significant (Tekalegn et al., 2017; Denbela and
Demerew, 2021). However, significant variation in
plant height of desho grass varieties was also
reported (Birmaduma et al., 2019; Solomon et al.,
2019; Denbela et al., 2020). The mean plant height
recorded in the current study was comparable with
the mean value reported in the highland but relatively
lower than the mean value reported in midland areas
of the Guji zone, southern Oromia, Ethiopia (Teshale
et al., 2021). The plant height values reported
recently (Mulisa et al., 2021; Mulisa et al., 2022)
from the same site were slightly lower than the value
reported in the current study might be due to
variation in varieties and weather conditions of
experimental periods.
The number of nodes per plant, internode length, and
leaf to stem ratio of desho grass varieties at forage
harvesting are indicated in Table 3. The results
indicated that the number of nodes per plant and leaf
to stem ratio varied significantly (P<0.05) among
desho grass varieties while non-significant (P>0.05)
variation was observed for internode length. The
highest number of nodes per plant was recorded for
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589) followed by Kindu
Kosha-1 (DZF # 591) while Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
variety produced the lowest. However, Kulumsa
(DZF # 592) variety produced the highest leaf to stem
ratio followed by Areka (DZF # 590) and Kindu
Kosha-1 (DZF # 591) while the lowest was recorded
from Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589).
The mean leaf to stem ratio of desho grass varieties
in the present study was higher than the values
reported by other scholars for the same varieties
(Tekalegn et al., 2017; Birmaduma et al., 2019;
Denbela et al., 2020; Teshale et al., 2021) this could
be due to variation in soil, weather and management
conditions. The leaf to stem ratio is one of the
indicators of nutritional quality and it is highly
affected by the stage of harvesting. It is positively
correlated with the nutritive value and a higher value
has better nutritive value and vice versa. The leaf to
stem ratio in tropical forage grasses plays a
significant role in ruminant diet selection, forage
value determination, and intake by ruminants. The
proportion of stem in grass plants increases as they
mature or progress from the vegetative to the
reproductive stage (Mitchell et al., 1997). Relative
proportions of the different morphological
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 115
components (leaves and stems) have an essential role
in controlling the chemical composition of tropical
forage grasses.
Table 2: Average plant height (cm) of desho grass varieties grown at Holetta over years
Variety
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Mean
Areka (DZF # 590)
34.5
139.9
110.0
93.3
125.0
100.5
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
36.1
140.6
98.9
90.0
119.7
97.1
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
37.8
127.3
98.9
95.0
113.1
94.4
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
44.5
126.1
119.5
97.8
122.8
102.1
Mean
38.2
e
133.5
a
106.8
c
94.0
d
120.1
b
98.5
LSD (0.05)
12.767
16.702
36.813
13.059
21.056
7.7307
P-value
0.3273
0.1433
0.5059
0.5628
0.5739
0.1943
Means with different superscript letter/s for varieties within column and for experimental years within row varied
significantly at p<0.05
Table 3: Average growth parameters and leaf to stem ratio of desho grass varieties grown at Holetta in 2016
Variety
Number of nodes per plant
(cm)
Internode length per plant
(cm)
Leaf to stem ratio (%)
Areka (DZF # 590)
4.8
b
6.5
1.7
a
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
4.6
b
5.5
1.9
a
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
5.1
b
6.1
1.5
ab
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
7.9
a
5.8
1.2
b
Mean
5.6
6.0
1.6
LSD (0.05)
2.202
1.8626
0.4984
P-value
0.0296
0.6163
0.0500
Means with different superscript letter/s for varieties within the column varied significantly at p<0.05
3.2. Yields of botanical fractions
The leaf dry matter yield of desho grass varieties
grown at Holetta over years is indicated in Table 4.
The results showed that the leaf dry matter yield of
desho grass varieties varied significantly (P<0.05) in
the 2014 production year and in the combined over
years analysis. In the combined analysis, the highest
mean leaf dry matter yield was recorded from
Kulumsa (DZF # 592) variety followed by Areka
(DZF # 590) while Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
produced the lowest leaf dry matter yield.
The leaf dry matter yield of desho grass varieties was
significantly (P<0.05) affected by the production
years. The results showed that the establishment year
produced the lowest leaf dry matter yield while the
yield increased at a decreasing rate until 2016 and the
yield decreased in the 2017 cropping season. The
maximum leaf dry matter yield was obtained in the
2016 cropping season. The leaf dry matter yield
obtained in the 2016 cropping season had 16.3 and
2.4% advantages over the 2014 and 2015 production
years, respectively. Similarly, the leaf dry matter
yield in the 2015 and 2017 production years had 13.6
and 7.5% advantages over the 2014 production year,
respectively. The results confirm that biomass
allocation to different morphological components of
plants is not fixed and may vary among forage
species (Müller et al., 2000; Poorter et al., 2012).
Higher mean voluntary intake of leaf than of stem
biomass has been demonstrated in tropical forage
grass due to its shorter retention time of dry matter in
the rumen (Mero and Udén, 1998). Tropical grass
forage species with high leafy biomass are more
nutritious and will be consumed and digested more
readily than those with a higher stem biomass
proportion.
The stem dry matter yield of desho grass varieties did
not vary significantly (P>0.05) at each production
year but the variation was significant (P<0.05) for the
combined over years analysis (Table 5). The results
revealed that Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589) variety
produced the highest stem dry matter yield over years
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 116
followed by Areka (DZF # 590) while Kulumsa
(DZF # 592) and Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591) gave
the same lowest stem dry matter yield. Moreover, the
stem dry matter yield of desho grass varieties was
significantly (P<0.05) affected by the production
years.
The results showed that the establishment year
produced the lowest stem dry matter yield while the
yield increased at a decreasing rate until 2016 and the
yield decreased in the 2017 cropping season. The
maximum stem dry matter yield was obtained in the
2016 cropping season and the stem dry matter yield
obtained in the 2016 cropping season had 23.7 and
6.2% advantages over the 2014 and 2015 production
years, respectively. Similarly, the stem dry matter
yield in the 2015 and 2017 production years had 16.5
and 9.3% advantages over the 2014 production year,
respectively. The leaf dry matter yield of 44.4, 51.5,
47.8, 42.5, and 49.1% advantages were recorded over
stem dry matter yield from the establishment year to
outwards, respectively. The leaf dry matter yield in
the combined analysis also had a 47.7% advantage
over stem dry matter yield. Generally, desho grass
varieties had a higher leaf dry matter yield than stem
dry matter yield. According to Beaty and Engel
(1980), cultivars high in leaf content were much
higher in quality than cultivars that produced more
stems. As reported for most grasses, both tropical and
temperate, leaves contain noticeably higher
concentrations of crude protein than stems (Tadesse
et al., 2004). Leafy biomass is usually retained in the
rumen for a shorter period than stems because of
faster rates of NDF digestion and higher rates of
passage (Delagarde et al., 2000).
Table 4: Average leaf dry matter yield (t ha
-1
) of desho grass varieties grown at Holetta over years
Variety
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Mean
Areka (DZF # 590)
2.0
17.9
a
18.0
19.3
17.1
14.9
a
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
1.5
17.8
a
19.8
18.0
18.2
15.1
a
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
0.7
11.5
b
14.4
12.9
14.4
10.8
b
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
1.1
11.4
b
14.6
18.2
13.5
11.7
b
Mean
1.3
c
14.7
b
16.7
ab
17.1
a
15.8
ab
13.1
LSD (0.05)
1.1725
3.7039
6.2918
10.211
4.5614
2.1512
P-value
0.1252
0.0062
0.1960
0.4826
0.1280
0.0001
Means with different superscript letter/s for varieties within column and for experimental years within row varied
significantly at p<0.05
Table 5: Average stem dry matter yield (t ha-1) of desho grass varieties grown at Holetta over years
Variety
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Mean
Areka (DZF # 590)
1.2
10.7
108
12.0
10.2
9.0
ab
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
0.8
9.5
10.4
9.6
9.7
8.0
b
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
0.5
8.3
10.7
10.1
10.3
8.0
b
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
0.9
10.2
13.1
16.3
12.1
10.5
a
Mean
0.9
c
9.7
b
11.3
ab
12.0
a
10.6
ab
8.9
LSD (0.05)
0.5224
2.3657
5.9681
10.383
4.2462
1.89
P-value
0.0860
0.1883
0.6969
0.4498
0.5756
0.0335
Means with different superscript letter/s for varieties within column and for experimental years within row varied
significantly at p<0.05
3.3. Total dry matter and crude protein yields
The total dry matter yield accumulation of desho
grass varieties was not found significant (P>0.05)
except in the 2014 cropping season and in the
combined over years analysis. In the second year of
production and combined over years analysis, Areka
(DZF # 590) variety accumulated the highest dry
matter yield followed by Kulumsa (DZF # 592) and
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589) while Kindu Kosha-1
(DZF # 591) accumulated the least dry matter yield.
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 117
The variation of dry matter yield was significant
(P<0.05) for production years. The first year
produced the lowest dry matter yield while the
accumulation of dry matter yield increased with
increasing production years but the yield declined in
the last production year. The recent studies also
indicated that the dry matter yield of desho grass
increased with increasing production years but the
yield declined after the third year of production
(Mulisa et al., 2021; Mulisa et al., 2022). The dry
matter yield accumulated in the 2016 cropping season
had 19.8 and 4.3% advantages over the 2014 and
2015 production years, respectively. Similarly, the
dry matter yield accumulated in the 2015 and 2017
production years had 14.8 and 8.6% advantages over
the 2014 production year, respectively.
The mean dry matter yield accumulated in desho
grass varieties in this study was lower (Tekalegn et
al., 2017; Birmaduma et al., 2019; Teshale et al.,
2021) and higher (Worku et al., 2017; Solomon et al.,
2019; Denbela et al., 2020; Mulisa et al., 2022) than
the values reported by different scholars. The
variation could be due to differences in soil fertility,
weather condition, and management conditions. The
comparable dry matter yield accumulated at each
production year could be attributed to the existence
of comparable agro-morphological characteristics
among desho grass varieties in terms of plant height,
tillering performance, and morphological
components. However, the variations in dry matter
yield accumulation during the production years might
be due to variation in amount and distribution of
precipitation, temperature, and the inherent genetic
characteristics of perennial forage crops to express
their maximum genetic potential either in the third,
fourth, or fifth year of production depending on the
species and varieties. Moreover, varieties of desho
grass might be exploited the growth resources more
efficiently from the soil in the later production years
due to the established root systems and better
utilization efficiency of photosynthetic active
radiation due to its better canopy cover with
advancing production years. The photosynthetic
active radiation intercepted by a crop canopy is one
of the main factors determining biomass production,
being the source of energy for the process of
photosynthesis (Monteith, 1969).
Table 6: Average dry matter yield (t/ha) of desho grass varieties grown at Holetta over years
Variety
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Mean
Areka (DZF # 590)
3.2
28.6
a
28.8
31.3
27.3
23.8
a
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
2.3
27.3
a
30.2
27.6
27.9
23.1
a
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
2.0
19.9
b
25.1
23.1
24.7
18.8
b
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
1.2
21.6
b
27.6
34.4
25.6
22.2
ab
Mean
2.2
c
24.3
b
27.9
ab
29.1
a
26.4
ab
22.0
LSD
1.6695
4.0093
11.055
20.368
7.1204
3.762
P-value
0.1182
0.0044
0.7201
0.5888
0.6898
0.0483
Means with different superscript letter/s for varieties within column and for experimental years within row varied
significantly at p<0.05
The dry matter yield and crude protein yield
accumulated among desho grass varieties in the
fourth year of production are indicated in Figure 1.
The result showed that the variation for crude protein
yield was non-significant (P>0.05) among desho
grass varieties. The crude protein yield generally
depends on the dry matter accumulation and crude
protein concentration performances of the crop.
Accordingly, Areka (DZF # 590) variety which
accumulated better dry matter yield and crude protein
concentration produced better crude protein yield
while Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591) which
accumulated the lowest dry matter yield produced the
least crude protein yield. The crude protein yield of
desho grass varieties ranged from 2.8 to 4.0 t/ha with
a mean of 3.4 t/ha. The mean crude protein yield of
desho grass varieties reported in the current study is
higher than the values reported recently from the
same site (Mulisa et al., 2021; Mulisa et al., 2022)
might be due to differences in varieties, soil fertility,
weather condition, and management conditions.
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 118
Figure 1: Effect of desho grass variety on dry matter and crude protein yields during the fourth year (2016) of production
DMY = dry matter yield; CPY = crude protein yield
3.4. Nutritive value of desho grass
The nutritive value of desho grass varieties was not
significantly (P>0.05) different in the 2016
production year (Table 7). The result showed that the
ash content of the varieties ranged from 14.9 to 16.4
with a mean of 15.7% at the forage harvesting stage.
Ash is the total mineral (non-organic) content of the
forage. The study also indicated that the ash content
of desho grass varieties was non-significant (P>0.05)
and the reported mean value was slightly higher at
midland and lower at the highland of areas of Guji
Zone, Ethiopia (Teshale et al., 2021) than the value
reported in this study indicating altitudinal variation
had a significant effect on ash content of the forage.
The total ash content in harvested forages can have a
significant role in animal performance. Much of the
ash content of forage is made up of minerals, such as
phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and
others and these minerals are essential for both plants
and livestock.
The total ash content of forage can be affected by
varieties, soil conditions, weather conditions, and
management practices. Moreover, the genetic
capacity of the plant to uptake minerals from the soil
and the mineral requirement of the plant for growth
significantly affect the total concentration of ash in
forage. The forage harvested at the early growth stage
has a better ash concentration compared to the late-
harvested forage. The mineral concentration of desho
grass varied with location and harvesting stage
(Bimrew et al., 2018a). The ash concentration of
different grasses declined significantly with
advancing age (Zinash et al., 1995; Adane and
Berhan, 2005; Taye et al., 2007) and varies with
morphological components (Fekede et al., 2007).
Hence, producers should pay attention to ash because
it lowers forage intake, reduces digestibility,
negatively affects fermentation, and dilutes forage
nutritive value. Poor-quality forage will simply take
up space in a cow's stomach, not delivering
nutritional value and declining milk production.
Generally, a mineral concentration decreases as
plants mature and is greater in forages grown in soils
that contain high concentrations of available
minerals.
The crude protein (CP) content of desho grass
varieties was found non-significant (P>0.05) in the
2016 production year as shown in Table 7. The CP
content of desho grass varieties ranged from 10.7 to
12.5 with the man of 11.7% at forage harvest. The CP
content of forage crops is significantly affected by
varieties, species, forage type, the proportion of
morphological parts, stage of harvest, soil factors,
weather conditions, management conditions, and
their interaction effect. As forages mature, their crude
protein is diluted with increasing fiber content. The
31.3
27.6
23.1
34.4
4.0
3.2
2.8
3.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Areka Kulumsa KK-1 KK-2
Yield t/ha
Desho grass varieties
DMY CPY
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 119
varieties had better CP content than most tropical
forage grasses; this might be due to a higher
proportion of leaf than stem at forage harvest.
Leafiness is a good indicator to determine the quality
of feed. Leafy forage crops have better nutritional
quality than high stem-producing forage crops.
Leaves are more digestible, richer in crude protein,
and poorer in cell-wall constituents than stems; thus
an increasing or decreasing forage value depends on
the proportion of these plant parts (Delagarde et al.,
2000). The CP content in the current study is higher
(Genet et al., 2017; Bimrew et al., 2018b; Solomon et
al., 2019; Denbela and Demerew, 2021; Mulisa et al.,
2022) and lower (Denbela et al., 2020; Teshale et al.,
2021) than the values reported indicating the CP
content influenced by variation in altitude, soil
conditions, weather conditions, and management
conditions. Plants grown at high temperatures
generally produce lower quality forage than plants
grown under cooler temperatures. Hence, forage of
any species tends to be lower in quality if produced
in a warm region rather than a cool region. According
to Teshale et al. (2021), desho grass varieties
produced better CP at highland areas than midland
areas.
The fibers (NDF, ADF, and ADL) and in-vitro dry
matter digestibility (IVDMD) contents of desho grass
varieties were not found significant (P>0.05) at
forage harvest (Table 7). The mean neutral detergent
fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid
detergent lignin (ADL), and IVDMD contents of
desho grass varieties were 69.4, 37.6, 4.4, and 60.7%
at forage harvest, respectively. The quality of feed
mainly depends on NDF, ADF, and ADL
concentration, and feeds with a lower concentration
of these fibers are more nutritious than feeds with
high fiber concentration. The values recorded from
this study for NDF were laid in the previously
reported values which ranged from 65.8 to 72.6% at
Guji highland area (Teshale et al., 2021) and from
60.9 to 69.2% (Denbela and Demerew, 2021) but it
was lower than the values reported (Bimrew et al.,
2017; Genet et al., 2017) and slightly higher than the
values reported by other scholars (Solomon et al.,
2019; Denbela et al., 2020).
The NDF content of feed has a detrimental effect on
forage intake while the digestibility of the feed is
affected by the ADF content of forage crops (Van
Soest, 1994). The ADF and ADL contents of desho
grass varieties in the current study were slightly
lower than the values reported previously (Bimrew et
al., 2017; Bimrew et al., 2018b; Mulisa et al., 2022).
As the ADL content in a feed increases, the
digestibility of its cellulose decreases, thereby
lowering the amount of energy potentially available
to the animal. Therefore, ADL causes the forage to be
much less digestible and less capable of providing the
energy needs of the animal.
The IVDMD values reported previously were lower
than the value reported in this study (Bimrew et al.,
2017; Solomon et al., 2019; Mulisa et al., 2021;
Mulisa et al., 2022). Young and leafy forage has a
higher level of digestible nutrients and protein, which
declines as the plants' progress toward maturity.
Matured forage has fewer leaves, and more stems
resulting in higher NDF content. Delaying a harvest
beyond the recommended maturity stage will result in
forage that is less digestible and much less capable of
being consumed at a high rate of intake.
Table 7: Effect of variety on the nutritive value of desho grass grown at Holetta in 2016 production year
Variety
Ash
CP
NDF
ADF
ADL
IVDMD
Areka (DZF # 590)
16.0
12.5
69.7
38.4
4.5
58.0
Kulumsa (DZF # 592)
16.4
11.6
68.8
37.0
4.3
61.5
Kindu Kosha-1 (DZF # 591)
15.6
12.2
69.5
37.1
4.3
62.4
Kindu Kosha-2 (DZF # 589)
14.9
10.7
69.4
38.0
4.5
60.9
Mean
15.7
11.7
69.4
37.6
4.4
60.7
LSD
1.2555
1.8965
2.4219
2.6187
0.3837
6.2077
P-value
0.1128
0.2021
0.8247
0.5349
0.2742
0.4093
CP = crude protein; NDF = neutral detergent fiber; ADF = acid detergent fiber; ADL = acid detergent lignin;
IVDMD = in-vitro dry matter digestibility
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 120
4. Conclusion and Recommendation
The performance of desho grass varieties at each
production year was comparable for most traits in the
study area. However, the performance varied
remarkably among the production years; this might
be due to the increasing trend of perennial forage
crops to accumulate more yields for three to five
consecutive years. The varieties produced the lowest
dry matter yield during the first year of production
but the accumulation of dry matter yield increased for
three subsequent years but declined afterward. The
varieties accumulated maximum dry matter yield in
the fourth year of production in the study area. The
varieties have higher leaf than stem proportion which
resulted in better contents of ash, crude protein, and
digestibility and lower fiber contents of the crop.
Therefore, the cultivation and proper utilization of
the four desho grass varieties in the study area is vital
to reduce the feed shortage problem in the crop-
livestock mixed production system. However, further
study should be conducted over locations and years
to select and recommend the best variety for the
study area and similar agro-ecologies.
Acknowledgments
The support obtained from the staff of Feeds and
Nutrition Research Program in Holetta Agricultural
Research Center (HARC) is highly acknowledged.
Moreover, the animal nutrition staff of HARC is duly
acknowledged for their assistance in nutritional
quality analysis.
Funding statement
This research work was financed by the Ethiopian
Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR).
Declaration of interest’s statement
The authors declare no competing interests.
References
Abebe, M., Oosting, S.J., Fernandez-Rivera, S., and
Van der Zijpp, A.J. (2008). Farmers’ perceptions
about exotic multipurpose fodder trees and
constraints to their adoption. Agroforstory
System. 73(2): 141-153.
Adane, K., and Berhan, T. (2005). Effects of
harvesting frequency and nutrient levels on
natural pasture in the central highlands of
Ethiopia. Tropical Science. 45: 77–82.
Adugna, T. (2007). Feed resources for producing
export quality meat and livestock in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards
and Livestock and Meat Marketing project
(SPS-LMM). 77p.
Adugna, T. (2008). Feed resources and feeding
management: A manual for feedlot operators
and development worker.38p.
Alemayehu, M. (2005). Feed resources base of
Ethiopia: Status and opportunities for
integrated development. 377–386P. In
Proceedings of the 12th Annual Conference of
the Ethiopian Society of Animal Production
(ESAP). Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, August 12– 14.
Anele, U.Y., Arigbede, O.M., Südekum, K.H., Oni,
A.O., Jolaosho, A.O., Olanite, J.A., Adeosun,
A.I., Dele, P.A., Ike, K.A., and Akinola, O.B.
(2009). Seasonal chemical composition, in vitro
fermentation, and in Sacco dry matter
degradation of four indigenous multipurpose
tree species in Nigeria. Animal Feed Science
Technology. 154 (1): 47–57.
AOAC. (1990). Official Methods of Analysis, 15th
ed. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem., Washington, DC,
USA.
AOAC. (1995). Official Methods of Analysis.
Association of Official Analytical Chemists,
Washington D.C, USA.
Assefa, A. (2005). Farm management in mixed crop-
livestock systems in the Northern Highlands of
Ethiopia. Ph.D. Thesis, Wageningen
Agricultural University, Wageningen, The
Netherlands.
Ayele, S., Assegid, W., Jabbar, M.A., Ahmed, M.M.,
and Belachew, H. (2002). Livestock marketing
in Ethiopia. A review of structure,
performance, and development initiatives.
Socio-economics and Policy Research Working
Paper 52. ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya.
Beaty, E.R., and Engel, J.L. (1980). Forage quality
measurements and forage research –A review,
Critique, and interpretation. Journal of Range
Management. 33 (1): 49-54.
Berhanu, G., Ahmed, M.M., and Ehui, S.K. (2003).
Determinants of adoption of improved foraged
technologies in crop-livestock mixed systems:
Evidence from the highlands of Ethiopia.
Tropical grasslands. 37: 262 – 273.
Bimrew, A. (2016). Evaluation of the agronomic,
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 121
utilization, nutritive, and feeding value of desho
grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum). Ph.D.
Dissertation. Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Bimrew, A., Solomon, D., Taye, T., Firew, T.,
Aynalem, H., and Jane, W. (2017). Effects of
altitude and harvesting dates on morphological
characteristics, yield, and nutritive value of
desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.) in
Ethiopia. Agriculture and Natural Resources.
51(3): 148-153
Bimrew, A., Solomon, D., Taye, T., Firew, T., and
Wamatu, J. (2018a). Appraisal of the mineral
content of desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum
Trin.) as affected by stage of maturity and agro-
ecologies in Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture and
Environmental Sciences. 3(1): 56-70.
Bimrew, A., Yeshambel, M., and Lamrot, T. (2018b).
Desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.)
evaluation based on plant characteristics, yield,
and chemical composition under irrigation in
Northwestern Ethiopia. Journal of Agriculture
and Environment for International Development.
112 (2): 241-251
Birmaduma, G., Tamrat, D., and Muleta, D. (2019).
Evaluation of Desho Grass (Pennisetum
pedicellatum Trin) lines for their adaptability at
Mechara Research Station, Eastern Oromia,
Ethiopia. Journal of Ecology and The Natural
Environment. 11(3): 26-32.
CSA (Central statistics agency). (2021). Agricultural
sample survey: Report on livestock and
livestock characteristics (private peasant
holdings) Ethiopia: Statistical bulletin 589, Vol.
II. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Danano, D. (2007). Improved grazing land
management in Ethiopia. In H. Liniger, & W.
Critchley (Eds), Where the land is greener (pp.
313-316). Bern, Switzerland: WOCAT.
Delagarde, R., Peyraud, J.L., Delaby, L., and
Faverdin, P. (2000). Vertical distribution of
biomass, chemical composition, and pepsin-
cellulase digestibility in a perennial ryegrass
sward: interaction with month of the year,
regrowth age, and time of day. Animal Feed
Science and Technology. 84: 49–68.
Denbela, H., Berako, B., and Sintayehu, K. (2020).
Evaluation of Desho (Pennisetum pedicellatum)
Grass Varieties for Dry Matter Yield and
Chemical Composition in South Omo Zone,
South-Western Ethiopia. Agricultural Research
& Technology. Volume 25 Issue 2 – September,
DOI: 10.19080/ARTOAJ.2020.25.556294
Denbela, H., and Demerew, G. (2021). Evaluation of
Desho (Pennisetum pedicellatum) Grass
Varieties for Dry Matter Yield and Chemical
Composition under Irrigation in two Districts of
South Omo Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia. East
African Journal of Sciences. 15 (1) : 71-78
Ecocrop. (2010). Ecocrop database. FAO.
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srven/home.
(Accessed 02 January 2022).
EPPO (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection
Organization). (2014). PQR database. Paris,
France: European and Mediterranean Plant
Protection Organization.
http://www.eppo.int/DATABASES/pqr/pqr. htm
(accessed on 05 January 2022).
FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the
United Nations). (2003). Livestock Sector Brief,
Ethiopia. Livestock Information, Sector Analysis
and Policy Branch, AGAL.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations). (2010). Grassland Index. A
searchable catalog of grass and forage legumes
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations, Rome, Italy.
Fekede, F., Adugna, T., and Solomon, M. (2007).
Nutritive value of different varieties and
morphological fractions of oats harvested at the
soft dough stage. Tropical Sciences. 47(4): 188–
196.
Firew, T., and Getnet, A. (2010). Feed resource
assessments in Amhara National Regional State.
Ethiopian Sanitary and phytosanitory standards
and livestock and meat marketing program
(SPA-LMM) Texas A and M University system
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.P2-105.
Gemechu, K. (2007). Phenotypic diversity for
biological nitrogen fixation in Abyssinian field
pea (Pisum sativum var. abyssinicum)
germplasm accession. Report on independent
study for Ph.D. Addis Ababa University Science
Faculty.
Genet, T., Bimrew, A., and Yeshambel, M. (2017).
Effects of harvesting age and spacing on plant
characteristics, chemical composition, and yield
of desho grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin.)
in the highlands of Ethiopia. Tropical
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 122
Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales. 5(2): 77–84.
Getachew, F. (2003). A Review of the Small Scale
Dairy Sector- Ethiopia. FAO Prevention of Food
Losses Programme: Milk and Dairy Products,
Post-harvest, Losses and Food Safety in Sub-
Saharan Africa and the Near East.
Getahun, K. (2019). Sugarcane byproducts as feed
resources and performance of sheep fed on
sugarcane tops based diets. Ph.D. Dissertation.
Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary
Medicine and Agriculture. Department of
Animal Production Studies. Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
Hindrichsen, I.K., Osuji, P.O., Odenyo, A.A.,
Madsen, J., and Hvelplund, T. (2004). Effect of
supplementation of maize stover with foliage of
various tropical multipurpose trees and Lablab
purpureus on intake, rumen fermentation, digesta
kinetics, and microbial protein supply of sheep.
Animal Feed Science and Technology. 113: 83-
96.
Leta, G., Duncan, A., and Asebe, A. (2013). Desho
grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum) for livestock
feed, grazing land, and soil and water
management on small-scale farms. ILRI,
Nairobi, Kenya 2 pp.
Mero, R.N., and Udén, P. (1998). Promising tropical
grasses and legumes as feed resources in Central
Tanzania III: Effect of feeding level on
digestibility and voluntary intake of four grasses
by sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology.
70: 79–95.
Mitchell, R.B., Moore, K.J., Moser, L.E., Fritz, J.O.,
and Redfearn, D.D. (1997). Predicting
developmental morphology in switchgrass and
big bluestem. Agronomy Journal. 89: 827–832.
Monteith, J.L. (1969). Light Interception and
Radiative Exchange in Crop Stands. In ACSESS
Publications; American Society of Agronomy;
Crop Science Society of America: Madison, WI,
USA, 1969; ISBN 978-0-89118-571-0.
Mulisa, F., Gezahagn, K., Fekede, F., Kedir, M., and
Gezahegn, M. (2022). Yield, Yield Components,
and Nutritive Value of Perennial Forage Grass
Grown under Supplementary Irrigation.
Hindawi, Advances in Agriculture. Volume
2022, Article ID 5471533, 11 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5471533
Mulisa, F., Gezahagn, K., Fekede, F., Kedir, M.,
Muluneh, M., Solomon, M., and Aschelew, T.
(2021). Evaluation of ten perennial forage
grasses for biomass and nutritional quality.
Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales. 9(3):
292–299.
Müller, I., Schmid, B., and Weiner, J. (2000). The
effect of nutrient availability on biomass
allocation patterns in 27 species of herbaceous
plants. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution
and Systematics. 3: 115–127.
Poorter, H., Niklas, KJ., Reich, P.B., Oleksyn, J.,
Poot, P., and Mommer, L. (2012). Biomass
allocation to leaves, stems, and roots: meta-
analyses of interspecific variation and
environmental control. New Phytologist. 193:
30–50.
Preston, T.R. (1995). Tropical animal feeding. A
manual for research workers. FAO Animal
Production and Health paper 126. FAO (Food
and Agriculture Organization), Rome, Italy. Pp.
305.
SAS (Statistical Analysis System). (2002). SAS/STAT
guide for personal computers, version 9.0
editions. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.
Seyoum, B., and Zinash, S. (1995). Chemical
composition, in vitro digestibility, and energy
value of Ethiopian feedstuffs. In: Proceedings of
the 3rd Annual Conference of the Ethiopian
Society of Animal Production, 27 - 29 April
1995, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. pp. 307 – 311.
Shapiro, B.I., Gebru, G., Desta, S., Negassa, A.,
Nigussie, K., Aboset, G., and Mechale, H.
(2017). Ethiopia livestock sector analysis. ILRI
(International Livestock Research Institute)
Project Report. Nairobi, Kenya. 103p.
Shiferaw, A., Puskur, R., Tegegne, A., and Hoekstra,
D. (2011). Innovation in forage development:
Empirical evidence from Alaba Special District,
Southern Ethiopia. Development in Practice.
21(8): 1138–1152.
Solomon, M., Kidane, G., Tekalegn, Y., Deribe, G.,
Yibrah, Y., Mezgeb, W., Gezahagn, K., and
Fekede, F. (2019). Evaluation of Desho grass
(Pennisetum glaucifolium) for forage yield and
quality. Livestock Research Results, 2017.
Proceedings of the 6
th
Annual National Review
Workshop on Results of Livestock Research,
December 2017, EIAR, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Tadesse, T., Sayan, T., Sunanta, J., and Somkiert, P.
(2004). Effect of Dry Season Cutting
Kebede et al. J. Agri. Environ. Sci. 8(1), 2023
Publication of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar University 123
Management on Subsequent Forage Yield and
Quality of Ruzi (Brachiaria ruziziensis) and
Dwarf Napier (Pennisetum purpureum L.) in
Thailand. Kasetsart Journal of Natural Scinece.
38: 457 – 467.
Taye, B., Solomon, M., and Prasad, N.K. (2007).
Effects of cutting dates on nutritive value of
Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) grass planted
sole and in association with Desmodium
(Desmodium intortum) or Lablab (Lablab
purpureus). Livestock Research for Rural
Development. Volume 19, Article #11.
Tekalegn, Y., Solomon, M., Edao, S., and Fromsa, I.
(2017). Desho Grass (Pennisetum pedicellatum)
Lines Evaluation for Herbage Yield and Quality
under Irrigation at Wondogenet. American-
Eurasian Journal of Agricultural &
Environmental Sciences. 17(5): 427-431.
Teshale, J., Ketema, B., and Zinash, A. (2021).
Evaluation of Desho Grass for Their Agronomic
Performances and Nutritive Values in Highland
and Midland Areas of Guji Zone, Southern
Oromia, Ethiopia. Science Research. 9(3): 35-40
http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/sr doi:
10.11648/j.sr.20210903.11
Tsige, Y. (2000). Livestock feed security and
associated impacts on sustainable agricultural
development. In: Proceedings of the 7th Annual
Conference of Ethiopian Society of Animal
Production (ESAP), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26-
27 May 1999. pp. 51-61.
Van Soest, P.J. (1994). Nutritional Ecology of the
Ruminant, Comstock Publishing Associates. A
division of Cornell University Press, Ithaca, and
London. Pp. 476.
Van Soest, P.J., and Robertson, J.B. (1985). Analysis
of Forages and Fibrous Foods. A Laboratory
Manual for Animal Science 613. Cornel
University, Ithaca. New York, USA, 202p.
Welle, S., Chantawarangul, K., Nontananandh, S.,
and Jantawat, S. (2006). Effectiveness of grass
strips as barriers against runoff and soil loss in
Jijiga area, northern part of Somalia region,
Ethiopia. Kasetsart Journal of Natural Science.
40: 549–558.
Worku, B., Denbela, H., and Tekleyohannes, B.
(2017). Effect of Planting Space and Fertilizer
Rate on Productivity of Desho Grass
(Pennisetum Pedicellatum) in Jinka Agricultural
Research Center, Southern Ethiopia.
International Journal of Research in Agriculture
and Forestry. 4(11): 14-19.
Yakob, G., Gebremicheal, A., Aklilu, A., and
Melaku, E. (2015). Participatory Evaluation of
Different Multipurpose Grass Species for Graded
Soil Bund Stabilization in Gimbo District, South
West Ethiopia. Open Access Library Journal.
2:e1627. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1101627
Yayneshet, T. (2010). Feed Resources Available in
Tigray Region, North Ethiopia, For Production
of Export Quality Meat and Livestock Addis
Ababa Ethiopia, pp: 9-16.
Zinash, S., Seyoum, B., Lulseged, G., and Tadesse,
T. (1995). Effect of harvesting stage on yield and
quality of natural pasture in the central high
lands of Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of 3
rd
national
conference of the Ethiopian society of animal
production. 27- 29, April 1995. pp. 316-322.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
