Shade tolerance, yield, and nutritive value of selected cereal and grass fodders in a coconut garden of Central Kerala

Abstract

Coconut cultivation has recently become unappealing owing to the decreased productivity contributed by disease and high maintenance costs, resulting in lower income. However, it is possible, to increase the productivity and net returns from coconut gardens by raising compatible subsidiary crops and incorporating livestock. Cultivation of cereal fodders is a promising option for increasing the productivity of the system and overcoming feed deficit, but warrants further research to assess their productivity in coconut gardens with light and space constraints. This study aimed to assess the forage yield, nutritive value and shade tolerance of three cereal fodders viz., maize, sorghum, and bajra in comparison to the popularly grown fodder grass hybrid napier in coconut garden and under open conditions with full light, during the lean periods of rabi and summer season, in Randomized Block Design replicated thrice. Fodder crops in open areas exhibited higher yield than in coconut garden.  Fodder maize recorded significantly higher cumulative green fodder yield in open area (77.40 Mg ha^-1 in rabi and 87.69 Mg ha^-1   in summer) well as in coconut garden (71.60 Mg ha^-1 in rabi and 77.35 g ha^-1 in summer).  Bajra showed moderate performance under shade whereas sorghum yielded very poor results. The shade tolerance of fodder grasses in coconut garden was in the order; hybrid napier>maize >bajra >sorghum. Crops in coconut garden exhibited higher crude protein and lower crude fibre content, whereas dry matter and ash content was higher in open field. Quality attributes and B:C ratio were better in maize than other crops. Thus, the study indicates that fodder maize, variety African tall can be successfully and cost effectively cultivated in coconut gardens to enhance quality forage production. Maize also exhibited better yield and quality than hybrid napier, the conventional grass grown in coconut gardens.