Skip to main content
Log in

Dry matter herbage productivity and aspects of chemical composition in four forage shrub legumes at a subhumid site in Ghana

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Four forage shrubsLeucaena leucocphala, Gliricidia sepium, Flemingia macrophylla andCajanus cajan were evaluated for herbage productivity in two years after they had been established in hedgerows 4 m apart and within row spacing of 15 cm. Herbage dry matter yields were assessed after harvesting at 1 and 2 years of primary growth. During the third year regrowth, yields at cutting intervals of 6 weeks (3 cuts), 12 weeks (1 cut) and 18 weeks were assessed for the four species.Gliricidia sepium consistently outyielded the three other species in regrowth yields with yields exceeding 2 t/ha. In CP%, Ca% and P% analysisLeucaena leucocephala was outstanding with the highest values being 29.0%, 1.74% and 0.36% respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adjei MB and Fianu FK (1985) The effect of cutting interval on the yield and nutritive value of some tropical legumes on the coastal grassland of Ghana. Tropical Grasslands 19 (4): 164–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Agishi EC (1983) Forage legumes and pasture development in Nigeria. In: Saka Nuru and Ryan JG (eds) Proc Nigeria-Australia Seminar on Collaborative Agricultural Research, pp 79–87. Shika, Nigeria, 14–15 Nov 1983

  • Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) (1970) Official Methods of Analysis, 11th ed. Washington, DC, USA

  • Association of Official analytical Chemists (AOAC) (1984) Official Methods of analysis. 14th ed. Washington, DC, USA

  • Cobbina J, Atah-Krah AN, Meregini AO and Duguna B (1990) Productivity of some browse plants on acid soils of southeastern Nigeria. Tropical Grasslands. 24: 41–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Ella A, Jobsen C, Stur WW and Blair G (1989) Effect of plant density and cutting frequency on the productivity of four tree legumes. Tropical Grasslands 23(1): 28–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Larbi A, Jabar MA, Orok EJ, Idiong NB and Cobbina J (1993)Alchornea cordifolia a promising indigenous browse species adapted to acid soils in southeastern Nigeria for integrated croplivestock agroforestry production systems. Agroforestry Systems 22: 33–41

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barnes, P. Dry matter herbage productivity and aspects of chemical composition in four forage shrub legumes at a subhumid site in Ghana. Agroforest Syst 31, 223–227 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00712075

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00712075

Key words

Navigation