Effects of Stage of Growth on Dry Matter Yield and Nutrients Composition of Stylo (Stylosanthes Guianensis Cv. Cook) in Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Vom, Plateau State to evaluate the effects of stage of growth on dry matter yield and nutrients composition of Cook stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Cook) in 2015 and 2016 cropping season. Four stages of growth (9, 13, 17 and 21 weeks after sowing (WAS)) which served as the treatmenmts were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design replicated four times. The land was divided into sixteen (16) plots of 5m x 3m each. The spacing between each block was 1m and 0.5m along the rows and columns, respectively. Growth components and dry matter (DM) yield were measured at the various stages of growth. There was no significant (P<0.05) difference between 17 and 21 WAS (83.47 and 82.95, respectively) in plant height. Leaf to stem ratio significantly (P<0.01) decreased from 9 to 21 WAS with 9 WAS having the highest value (0.94). Highest (P<0.01) dry matter yield was recorded at 17 WAS (8.02 t/ha). Crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) contents decreased (P<0.01) with increased age of the plant. Crude fibre (CF) on the other hand was significantly higher (P<0.01) at 21 WAS (36.86%) than at the early stages of growth. Cook stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis) sown in early June in Vom, Plateau State should be harvested at 17 WAS when the DM yield is optimum and crude protein content is sufficient to meet the requirement of reuminant animals.