Effect of Varied Soil Moisture Content on Seed Yield of Six Range Grasses in the Rangelands of Kenya

Abstract

Seed yields of six range grass species grown at 80, 50 and 30% field capacity (FC) soil moisture content and rain fed condition were evaluated. The grasses included Chloris roxburghiana, Eragrostis superba, Enteropogon macrostachyus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana and Sorghum sudanense (Sudan grass). Watered treatments had higher seed yields compared to rain fed for all the grasses. Chloris roxburghiana had higher seed yields at 50 and 30 % FC (516.1 and 633.4 kg ha-1, respectively), and lower yields at 80% FC and rain fed treatment (103 and 54.3 kg ha-1, respectively). Eragrostis superba and Enteropogon macrostachyus showed no difference in seed yields across watered. Cenchrus ciliaris had no significant difference among watered and rain fed. Chloris gayana produced higher seed yields at 30% FC (1066.8 kg ha-1) while 80 and 50% FC and rain fed having 766.9, 866.8 and 123.7 kg ha-1, respectively. The highest yield was observed in Sorghum sudanense at 80% FC and was different (p≤0.05) from the others (1250 kg ha-1), with 50, 30% FC and rain fed having 700.5, 533.9 and 150.7 kg ha-1, respectively. Sorghum sudanense was highest yielder under rain fed (150.7 kg ha-1) with least being Cenchrus ciliaris (21.8 kg ha-1). Chloris gayana and Sorghum sudanense have demonstrated potential higher seed yielders under lower moisture supply.