Pre-scaling up: The case of desho grass technologies in highlands of Guji Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/marcopolo.v3i3.56Keywords:
Desho Grass, Promotion, Highland, Guji ZoneAbstract
This activity was conducted to increase the production of improved Desho grasses. About 64 farmers were selected from eight kebeles. The improved desho grass varieties, Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 and Areka DZF No. 590, were planted using the recommended spacing of 50 cm between rows and 10 cm between tillers. During planting, 100 kg/ha of NPS fertilizer was applied, followed by 50 kg/ha of UREA once the tillers were established. Data on plot coverage, plant height, regrowth, fresh biomass, and survival rate were gathered through interviews and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results indicated that Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 had greater ground coverage (3.98) compared to Areka DZF No. 590 (3.51). Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 also exhibited a taller average plant height (95.83 cm), surpassing Areka DZF No. 590 (82.95 cm). Post-harvest regrowth suggests the potential for increased forage yield from the same area of land. Farmers reported regeneration capacities of 90.91% for Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 and 84.61% for Areka DZF No. 590. Additionally, Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 showed a higher survival rate (91.13%) compared to Areka DZF No. 590 (87.22%). Both grass varieties demonstrated strong performance in terms of fresh biomass yield and survival under farmers' field conditions, indicating their potential to help address forage shortages in the highlands of the Guji zone. Therefore, it is recommended that Kindo Kosha DZF No. 591 and Areka DZF No. 590 be promoted in the highland areas of the Guji zone.
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