EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION ON BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF CLITORIA-TERNATEA (L) DNE

An experiment at the university experimental unit characterized as a v ery dry tropical forest was carried out to evaluate the dry matter yie ld of Clitoris ternatea (L) DNE submitted to three cutting frequencies (28, 42 and 56 days) and two cutting heights (10 and 20 cm). A random block with a split plot arrangement and three replications was used. Results obtained show that the frequency x cutting height interaction affected (P < 0.05) dry matter yield and the leaf-stem ratio. The grea test total yield (1121.69 kg/ha), of leaves (519.0 kg/ha), and stems 6 02.3 kg/ha was attained when plants were harvested at 20 cm height eve ry 42 days. This did not occur with the leaf-stem ratio which increase d when harvested every 28 days, with 1.69 and 1.80 for 10 and 20 cm, r espectively.