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The Effect of Harvesting Age on Dry Matter Yield and Crude Protein Content of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) Grown as a Forage in the Savannah Zone Of Northern Ghana
Abstract
Effect of different harvesting dates on dry matter yield and crude protein content of pigeon pea
(Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) was assessed in the Savannah agroecological zone in northern Ghana.
The pigeon pea seeds were sourced at Tamale market as a land-race variety. Good quality seeds
were carefully selected and planted in the pasture field of CSIR – Animal Research Institute,
Nyankpala Station. The spacing was 40 cm within rows and 60 cm between rows on four separate
plots (8m x 15m) each was demarcated with 3m inter-plot spacing to separate the plots. The forage
was harvested at 3 different ages and data collected on plant population/ha, dry matter yield and
crude protein content determined for two planting seasons in 2021 and 2022. The plant height at
harvest did not show a statistical difference (P>0.05). Significant differences (P<0.001) were, however, observed in biomass yield among the harvesting ages. The dry matter yields obtained at different harvesting ages were 8.09, 5.95 and 3.59 tonnes DM/ha for 100, 120 and 140 days of plants
age at harvest, respectively. Each mean value was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the other
from 100 days to 140 days harvest. The crude protein content of the biomass harvested at 140 days
of plant age was significantly lower (P=0.001) than the mean protein content of the 100 and120
days harvest. The results showed that at 100 to 120 days of plant age, the quality of the forage was
not affected except for a slight reduction in dry matter yield. The best age for harvesting the forage
was found to be between 100 to 120 days in order to obtain maximum forage dry matter yield and
good crude protein content.
