Effect of seed rate and nitrogen levels on green forage yield of makkhan grass (Lolium multiflorum L.) in western Uttar Pradesh

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 at research farm of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, (Uttar Pradesh) to study the effect of seed rate and nitrogen levels on forage yield and quality of makkhan grass in Western Uttar Pradesh. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam texture, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and available potassium with near to neutral in reaction. Three levels of seed rate (10, 15 and 20 kg ha⁻¹) and five levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 75, 100 and 125) in tested in factorial randomized block design with four replications. Results revealed that sowing of makkhan grass with 20 kg seed rate per hectare was better over the 10 and 15 kg seed rate per hectare in respect of yield attributers and forage yield at all cuttings during both the years. Similarly, application of nitrogen had better effect on growth and yield parameters such as plant height, leaves weight, shoot weight, leaf stem ratio and leaf area index; however, application of 100 and 125 kg nitrogen ha⁻¹ produced similar results than rest of nitrogen levels. Among the treatment combinations application of 20 kg seed rate and 125 kg nitrogen ha⁻¹ recorded higher growth and forage yield at all cuttings during both years of experiment.