PRODUCTION, WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY OF 4 CULTIVARS OF PANICUM-MAXIMUM AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF NITROGEN-FERTILIZATION

The influence of 5 levels of N fertilisation on the growth rate and wa ter use efficiency of 4 cultivars of Panicum maximum (Gatton, Vencidor , Mutale and Petrie), was evaluated in a pot trial at the University o f Pretoria. N fertilisation affected both growth rate and water use ef ficiency significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) and there were a lso significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) differences between cul tivars. Vencidor had the highest DM production, water use efficiency a nd digestibility and the lowest NDF and ADF concentrations. Mutale, on the other hand, had the lowest production and water use efficiency. T he cultivars also differed in the concentrations of essential elements , crude protein, ADF and NDE These results should be a good indication of the relative potential of the cultivars when grown under condition s of optimum water availability.