The relation between growth and nitrogen and phosphorus content of green panic and kikuyu grass

✍ Scribed by J. R. Wilson; R. L. Sandland

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1976
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 810 KB
• Volume: 44
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0032-079X
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00015886

✦ Synopsis

Two grasses, green panic (Panicum maximum vat. trichoglume) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) were grown in pots of varying levels of nitrogen and phosphorus supply. Green panic had a much higher growth rate, and, except under extreme N deficiency, its yield advantage was relatively greater at low than at high levels of nutrient supply. These growth effects led to lower tissue N and P concentrations and more extreme nutrient deficiency in green panic at equivalent date of harvest.

When compared at equal plant size both species were similar in the N and P per cent of tops or whole plant, and thus also in total nutrient uptake. However, leaf blades of green panic appeared to have an inherently lower N per cent than those of kikuyu, and the relation between relative growth rate and tissue N or P per cent indicated that green panic was more efficient in nutrient utilisation than kikuyu.

The growth and nutrient characteristics shown by green panic would seem inevitably conducive to low protein levels in this tropical grass.