HERBAGE YIELD AND NUTRITIVE QUALITY OF PANICUM MAXIMUM INTERCROPPED WITH DIFFERENT LEGUMES

The effect of different legume intercrops on herbage yield and nutritive quality of Panicum maximum was assessed, at Teaching and Research Farm of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Oyo State in the derived Savannah Zone of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of sole Panicum maximum stand, Panicum interplanted with Cajanus cajan, Canavalia ensiformis and Stylosanthes hamata. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Parameters investigated at 12weeks old on Panicum were biomass yield, tillers number and height, leaf length and width, chemical and mineral compositions. Results showed that among all the legume treatments, Stylo significantly (P <0.05) enhances biomass yield (37000kg/ha), number of tillers (27.00), tiller height (190.30cm), leaf length (86.98cm) and leaf width (2.98cm) of Panicum. The Crude protein (10.89%) and gross energy (3.77kca/kg) content of Panicum inter planted with Stylo were (P<0.05) higher than the values obtained for other treatments. P (0.31%), K (0.19 %), Ca (0.27%), Mg (0.36 mg/100g), Fe ( 270.30 mg/100g), Zn (35.57 mg/100g), and Cu ( 7.10 mg/kg ), of Panicum inter planted with Stylosanthes hamata were significantly (P <0.05) highest compared to its counterpart. This study revealed that Panicum intercropped with Stylosanthes hamata enhances higher herbage yield and improves its nutritive value.