Response of Mature Napier Crass to Fertilizers and Cattle Manure in Kenya

Abstract

Trials with Napier grass grown for mulching were conducted from 1951 to 1959 on two similar and adjacent soil types. On the more fertile soil no consistent response was recorded to nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers applied seasonally and annually. Cattle manure at 20 tons/acre annually, raised yields consistently. Grass grown on the less fertile soil responded to double superphosphate and basic slag (42 lb. p2p5 per acre annually) and there was a positive NP interaction with superphosphate although nitrogen alone gave no yield increase on either soil type.