Production and quality of certain grass species in the Combretum veld of the Northern Transvaal.

Abstract

The production and quality of five species (Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus, Digitaria eriantha, var, pentzii, Schmidtia pappophoroides and Eragrostis rigidior) were measured at different frequencies of defoliation on cleared, as well as uncleared, bushveld. During the following year, different intensities of defoliation were applied additionally, but with fewer frequencies. The number of species were reduced to three (D. eriantha, var. pentzii, S. pappohoroides and H. contortus). Clearing resulted in highly significantly increased production in all species except D. eriantha, without any notable effect on quality. The species differed in their response to frequency of defoliation, but the 3-weekly and annually defoliated treatments nearly always produced less than the 6- and 9-weekly defoliations. Although the species were initially subdivided into two groups, which were subjected to different sets of defoliation intensities, the intensity that left a stubble of 12cm gave the highest production in all cases.

Keywords: afrikaans; bush clearing; combretum; defoliation; digitaria eriantha; eragrostis rigidior; frequency of cutting; frequency of defoliation; grasses; growth rate; heteropogon contortus; intensity of cutting; northern transvaal; schmidtia pappophoroides; south africa; themeda triandra; treatments

Journal of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa.