EFFECT OF TREE CANOPY COVER ON GRASS SPECIES IN NIGERIAN GUINEA SAVANNA

The effect of tree canopy cover on the yield, crude protein (CP), and fibre content of grass species in the Nigerian Guinea savanna was stud ied. The following grass species, Andropogon gayanus, Hyparrhenia invo lucrata, Hyparrhenia smithiana, Pennisetum polystachion, Rottboellia c ochinchinensis, and Setaria barbata occur more under tree canopies tha n in the open. The overall yield under tree canopy and in the open was influenced by the proportionate contribution of these species to the total yield. Grass yields were significantly higher under canopies pro vided by trees taller than 7 m than under shorter canopies. The differ ence between percentage CP, fibre, and lignin in plants growing under tree canopies and those in the open were not significant.