Effect of fertilizer application on morphological parameters and dry matter yield of Desho grass (Pennisetum glaucifolium) Areka-DZF-590 variety under rain fed conditions

The purpose of this experiment was to assess the morphological parameters and dry matter yield of Desho grass grown for two years under various fertilizer treatments.The field experiment was carried out at Robit Bata Kebele in the Bahir Dar Zuria district of the Amhara region, Ethiopia.In the trial, four fertilizer rates (0,100kg, 300kg N and manure) on Pennisetum glaucifolium Areka-DZF-590 were used.Each 9-m2 plot in the treatments was arranged in a 3x2 factorial configuration in a randomized complete block design with three replications.Morphological data were collected from 10 randomly selected plants grown in the middle rows of each plot.All recorded datasets were managed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and subjected to a general linear model procedure of SAS (9.0) at a significance level of alpha <0.05.The findings demonstrated that the morphological characteristics and dry matter yield were strongly impacted by the interaction of fertilizer application and years.The tallest plant (69.93 and 75.36cm), the highest number of tillers per plant (49.33 and 127.13), the longest number of leaves per plant (236.22 and 753.32) and the highest dry matter yield (12.5 and 21.88 t/ha) were measured at manure fertilizer in the first and second years, respectively.The morphological parameters and dry matter yield increased as the fertilizer level increased and the production years were also extended.Moreover, the highest net benefit (33010.4 and 57653.85birr)was obtained from manure, and the lowest net benefit (21681.6 and 42254.55birr)was obtained from an unfertilized plot in the first and second years, respectively.Therefore, in the research areas and other agro-ecologies where there is similar agroecology, the desho grass-Areka-DZF-590 with manure fertilizer would have a more advantageous production performance to meet forage quantity and economic feasibility.