Irrigation levels affects biomass yields and morphometric characteristics of range grasses in arid rangelands of Kenya

Koech, O. K.; Kinuthia, R. N.; Karuku, G. N.; Mureithi, S. M.; Wanjogu, R.

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3309-8

SpringerPlus

Table 2 Mean above ground biomass yields (kg ha⁻¹) of the six grass species in pure and mixed stands at 80, 50 and 30 % FC at 12, 14 and 16 weeks phenological stage

From: Irrigation levels affects biomass yields and morphometric characteristics of range grasses in arid rangelands of Kenya

	CR	ES	EM	CC	CG	SB	CR/ES	CR/ES/EM	CR/ES/EM/CC	CR/ES/EM/CC/CG
Week 12
80 % FC	3600.4^b ± 76.9	3468.3^b ± 34.0	6600.6^b ± 37.7	4064.6^b ± 18.9	7932.2^e ± 93.1	9464.4^e ± 23.1	4000.8^b ± 84.1	3932.5^b ± 14.4	5532.7^b ± 11.5	9524.2^e ± 163.3
50 % FC	2532.3^a ± 68.1	1800.5^a ± 30.4	7400.7^e ± 57.7	6532.9^b ± 93.0	9400.6^e ± 44.4	9200.5^e ± 31.2	1464.9^a ± 2.9	6732.3^b ± 59.7	5932.1^b ± 66.6	7664.4^e ± 59.7
30 % FC	2732.3^a ± 17.6	3264.1^b ± 7.6	5400.1^b ± 30.4	5932.4^b ± 45.1	9000.7^e ± 50.0	7264.8^e ± 35.1	1200.9^a ± 5.0	4132.1^b ± 18.9	4932.3^b ± 7.6	6800.6^b ± 21.8
Rainfed	732.5^c ± 87.1	364.1^d ± 57.6	500.3^d ± 80.4	532.5^c ± 75.1	707.5^c ± 80.0	764.6^c ± 55.2	340.4^d ± 85.2	432.8^c ± 78.1	432.4^c ± 57.5	610.5^c ± 51.8
Week 14
80 % FC	2400.2^a ± 13.2	4332.5^b ± 18.9	5132.9^b ± 12.6	2532.4^a ± 17.6	9000.3^e ± 47.7	12,664.7^f ± 25.7	8400.3^e ± 26.5	5264.2^b ± 16.1	5400.3^b ± 13.2	8464.4^e ± 44.8
50 % FC	1800.5^a ± 5.0	1200.6^a ± 5.0	9000.8^e ± 15.0	8400.2^e ± 20.0	9532.1^e ± 18.9	6864.2^b ± 128.5	1600.8^a ± 18.0	7864.9^e ± 15.3	4332.4^b ± 12.6	7932.3^e ± 81.3
30 % FC	3264.5^b ± 7.6	3600.6^a ± 5.0	6400.9^b ± 5.0	5332.1^b ± 10.4	9400.5^e ± 18.0	7124.3^e ± 10.4	1932.1^a ± 5.8	4064.0^b ± 10.4	5000.1^b ± 15.0	5800.7^b ± 26.5
Rainfed	764.2^c ± 57.6	381.0^d ± 55.1	604.3^d ± 45.0	558.2^c ± 50.4	767.0^c ± 48.0	824.9^c ± 60.4	532.8^c ± 55.5	464.8^c ± 60.3	511.0^c ± 65.1	680.6^c ± 56.5
Week 16
80 % FC	3320.6^b ± 9.8	5600.3^b ± 13.2	6464.5^b ± 20.8	2464.8^a ± 24.7	10,864.1^e ± 41.9	13,664.2^f ± 17.6	8864.8^e ± 34.03	5600.9^b ± 13.2	5732.5^b ± 15.3	9664.2^e ± 106.1
50 % FC	2532.3^a ± 10.4	1532.2^a ± 12.5	10,464.4^e ± 17.6	9132.6^e ± 34.0	10,200.1^e ± 25.0	11,600.0^e ± 17.3	1800.5^a ± 5.0	7332.1^e ± 59.2	6200.8^b ± 37.8	9264.6^e ± 20.0
30 % FC	2132.6^a ± 12.6	3132.7^b ± 12.6	6664.8^b ± 10.4	6864.8^b ± 12.6	10,132.1^e ± 7.6	7664.5^e ± 10.4	2864.3^a ± 12.6	4400.2^b ± 18.0	5132.1^b ± 2.9	6800.0b ± 15.0
Rainfed	759.8^c ± 62.2	372.3^d ± 42.6	664.8^c ± 50.4	664.5^c ± 42.5	832.7^c ± 3 7.6	964.8^c ± 60.5	764.5^c ± 42.5	480.1^c ± 48.0	532.4^c ± 32.2	702.3^c ± 45.1

Means within the same columns with different superscripts are significantly different at p < 0.05
CR C. roxburghiana, ES E. superba, EM E. macrostachyus, CC C. ciliaris, CG C. gayana, SB S. sudanense, FC field capacity, ± standard deviation

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