Effects of Cutting Height on the Recovery of Some Forage Grasses under Cultivation in Kindu, DRC

Brakus YUMA BRAHIMU; Lingot BULEDI AMURI; Défi AMURI ASSANI; Didier LUVENGO DARABU; Joel OSOMBAUSE SANGO; Jean-Claude MONZENGA LOKELA; Albert OKUNGO LOTOKOLA; Freddy OKITAYELA ONAWOMA; Système BONDOMBE WA YALOKOMBE

Brakus YUMA BRAHIMU
Lingot BULEDI AMURI
Défi AMURI ASSANI
Didier LUVENGO DARABU
Joel OSOMBAUSE SANGO
Jean-Claude MONZENGA LOKELA
Albert OKUNGO LOTOKOLA
Freddy OKITAYELA ONAWOMA
Système BONDOMBE WA YALOKOMBE

Keywords: effects of cutting height, grass, recovery, forage, crop

Abstract

This article analyzes the effects of cutting height on the recovery of some forage grasses under cultivation in Kindu, (DRC). The few forage grasses concerned are Pennisetum purpureum, Panicum maximum, Hyparrhenia diplandra and Paspalum chevalierii. The effects of cutting height on the regrowth of several grasses were studied in a separate experimental setup, randomized complete blocks comprising four treatments and four replicates. Each 4m x 2.5m plot, i.e. an area of 10 m², received 40 stumps and cuttings installed at 0.5m x 0.5m spacing, i.e. 0.25 m². These plots were separated by paths 2 m wide each. Thus, overall, the system consisted of 640 stump fragments, cuttings and the total field area was 1612 m². The results obtained can be summarized as follows. Better recovery was observed in the forage species Paspalum chevalierii, which recovered well at all cutting heights, followed by Panicum maximum for cutting heights of 5, 10 and 15 cm; Hypparhenia diplandra comes in third, while Pennisetum purpureum closes the way. Regarding the regrowth rate, 10 and 15 cm heights proved more effective for species of Panicum maximum, Paspalum chevalierii and Hypparhenia diplandra, which behaved well.

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