By How long does napier grass take to grow?
Napier grass is ready for harvesting 3-4 months after planting and harvesting can continue at an interval of 6-8 weeks for 3 – 5 years. Leave a stem length of 10 cm from the ground at harvesting.
Is Napier grass profitable?
Like Melli, Kibet earns close to KSh2m per year. According to the National Farmers Information Service (NAFIS), Napier grass makes up to 40 per cent of total diary fodder in Kenya with at least 70 per cent of smallholder farmers in the country growing it.
Is Napier grass good for cows in India?
Napier is a perennial tropical grass which needs little water and nutrients and can also thrive on land not used for crop cultivation. It was a perennial tropical forage crop used as fodder. It was not a complete nutrition but a good source of energy, so it was fed directly to cattle or made into hay.
Where does napier grass grow?
tropical Africa
Native to tropical Africa, napier grass grows as a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, typically reaching 3 to 4 feet tall.
Which is best Napier grass?
Super Napier grass is best suited to high rainfall areas, but it is drought-tolerant and can also grow well in drier areas. It does not grow well in waterlogged areas….MGBN SUPER NAPIER GRASS SEED HIGH YIELD 125 GM (30000 SEEDS) Seed (30000 per packet)
| Brand | MGBN |
|---|---|
| Suitable For | Outdoor |
| Type of Seed | Grass |
| Organic | Yes |
Which is the best fertilizer for Napier grass?
Napier grass requires a lot of fertilizer. Dig trenches between the rows of grass, and pour liquid manure into the trenches. Alternatively, apply a top-dressing of NPK 20-20-0 fertilizer to the soil around the plants during periods of rainfall or before watering.
What is the spacing of Napier grass?
Two methods of planting Napier grass are the conventional method and the tumbukiza method. The conventional method involves planting one cane (with 3–4 nodes) or root split in holes 15–30 cm deep. The spacing is 0.5 m x 0.5 m in areas with over 1400 mm of rainfall.
How is Napier grass planted?
Plantation of Napier grass is done at an angle of 30° from the ground. Two of the nodes of the grass are being buried in the soil and one node will be above the ground level. Plantation of many numbers of rows maintaining a space of at least 3 feet should be done in between the rows.
Does Napier grass contain protein?
The studies also revealed that crude protein decreases with age i.e. Hairy type Napier grass contained 5.79% crude protein at 3 weeks and 2.17% crude protein.
What is Napier grass used for?
Napier grasses improve soil fertility, and protect arid land from soil erosion. It is also utilized for firebreaks, windbreaks, in paper pulp production and most recently to produce bio-oil, biogas and charcoal.
Does Napier grass need fertilizer?
Napier grass requires a lot of fertilizer. Dig trenches between the rows of grass, and pour liquid manure into the trenches. Alternatively, apply a top-dressing of NPK 20-20-0 fertilizer to the soil around the plants during periods of rainfall or before watering. Make sure your grass gets plenty of water.
When to sow Napier grass in northern India?
The crop is sown from end of February to end of August in the northern India. But for getting the maximum return in terms of yield, the crop should be sown by the end of February, since late sowing may give only one cut till the end of November after which it remains in a dormant stage.
What can Napier grass be used for in Africa?
Napier grass is mainly used as a fodder crop. It is used as feed to the cattle directly or it can also be made as hay or even silage. In African countries, it is used as a forage for elephants and hence, it is also termed as elephant grass. Napier plant plays a major role in the production of biomass.
How many cuttings of Napier grass per acre?
Irrigation for Napier grass is easiest when ridges are made across a slope with spaces of 60 cm across and 25 cm high. About 16,000 cuttings are planted per acre. Napier grasses are a sterile hybrid. When searching for superior Napier grass for sale, farmers will find slips or stem cuttings to plant – not seeds.
Which is the first district to cultivate Napier grass?
Bulandshahr is the first district which has initiated Napier grass cultivation through MGNREGS under its grassland cultivation work. Officials in Bulandshahr have hit upon the idea of cultivating Napier grass at 92 locations linked with gaushalas to provide nutritional fodder to cows living in shelters across the district.