Sayan Tudsri and Cheunjit Kaewkunya

pp. 371 - 380

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Suwanvajokkasikit Research Station, Pakchong, to determine the
yield and chemical compositions of ruzi (Brachiaria ruziziens), dwarf napier (Pennisetum purpureum), and
Taiwan A25 (P. purpureum) intercropped with leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala cv. Ivory Coast) under irrigation. The design of the experiment was a randomized split-split plot with pasture species as the
main plots, leucaena row spacings (1, 2, 4 m) as sub - plots and leucaena cutting height (10 and 25 cm above
ground levels) as sub-sub-plots with three replications of 5 × 4 m sub-sub-plots. Dwarf napier produced the highest total dry matter yield, followed by Taiwan A25 and ruzi. Leucaena yield was highest in the ruzi
plots and lowest in the dwarf napier plots. However, the total dry matter yield (grass + leucaena) was
highest in the dwarf napier plot and lowest in the ruzi plots. Increasing the row spacing between rows of
leucaena resulted in a poorer leucaena yield but the reverse was true for the grasses. The recommendation
for row spacing of leucaena was 1 m under irrigation conditions. Cutting of leucaena at 10 cm above ground
levels depressed yield of leucaena but did not affect the associated grasses.
In terms of chemical compositions it was found that the crude protein of the dwarf napier and Taiwan
A25 were higher than that of the ruzi grass. Leucaena gave higher levels of crude protein than
the grasses. The phosphorus and potassium levels of the grasses were higher than leucaena. ADF levels
were higher in the grasses than in the legumes. Nutrient contents of grasses and leucaena were not affected
by leucaena row spacing and cutting height.