Experimental studies on seed production tropical grasses in Kenya. 6. The effect of harvest date on seed yield in varieties of Setaria sphacelata, Chloris gayana and Panicum coloratum.

Setaria sphacelata cv. Nandi I and Nandi III, Chloris gayana cv. Mbarara, Masaba and Pokot, and Panicum coloratum cv. Solai were grown for seed and harvested on a range of dates beginning 3-4 weeks after initial head emergence (defined as 5-10 heads/m2). Harvesting date was not very critical, and harvesting could normally be spread over 1-2 weeks. The interval between initial heading and optimum harvest date was normally 6-7 weeks. In most crops considerable shedding of spikelets (up to 30-50% in P. coloratum, rather less in the other 2 species) could be tolerated before yield of pure germinating seed fell with delay in harvesting. It was suggested that most of the spikelets which were shed early were empty. Cultivars which headed early produced nearly twice as much seed as those which headed late. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)