Plant Growth Pattern, Forage Yield, and Quality of Indigofera zollingeriana Influenced by Row Spacing
Abstract: Indigofera
zollingeriana is one of legumes has a great potential to be used as an animal
feed having high quality nutrients and is tolerant to different environmental
conditions. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of
different row spacings between individual plants on growth pattern, forage
yield, and quality of I. zollingeriana. Field experiment was conducted at Field
Laboratory of Agrostology, Faculty of Animal Science Bogor Agricultural
University, during the growing season of 2015/2016. The 4 spacings levels used
were 1 x 1.5 m; 1 x 1 m; 1 x 0.75 m; and 1 x 0.5 m. The treatment was arranged
in a completely randomized block design, with 4 replicates. Variables in this
research were plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, plant
population for each plot, fresh and dry matter yields, and forage quality. The
results showed that narrow plant spacing increased plant height, plant
population, fresh and dry weights, dry matter yields, as well as NDF and
β-carotene contents. The wider the plant spacing the greater the number of
branches and leaves per plant. It was concluded that increasing plant
population by narrowing plant spacing remained the most effective way to
increase Indigofera forage yield without negative effects of it on nutritive
values, i.e., crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ADF, and TDN.
Keywords: Indigofera; row
spacing; plant growth; nutritive value; beta-caroten
Author: Nur Rochmah
Kumalasari, G. P. Wicaksono, L. Abdullah
Journal Code: jppeternakangg170043