Morphology of Common Grass and Legume Species in Nigerian Pastures - SS2 Agriculture Lesson Note
Common Grass Species:
- Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum): This is a tall, coarse grass with thick stems and long, narrow leaves. It's a common choice for cattle grazing due to its high productivity and adaptability to different soil types.
- Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris): Buffel grass has fine, slender leaves and produces seed heads with characteristic burrs. It's known for its drought tolerance and is often used in arid regions of Nigeria.
- Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum x Pennisetum glaucum): Napier grass is similar to elephant grass but has larger stems. It's valued for its high biomass production and is often used for cut-and-carry feeding systems.
Common Legume Species:
- Centro (Centrosema pubescens): Centro is a legume with compound leaves consisting of three leaflets. It produces purple or pink flowers and has creeping stems. It's valuable for nitrogen fixation in pastures.
- Stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis): Stylo is a legume with trifoliate leaves and small, yellow flowers. It's known for its ability to improve soil fertility and provide good nutrition for livestock.
- Lablab (Lablab purpureus): Lablab is a climbing legume with purple or blue flowers. Its leaves are trifoliate, and it produces pods containing seeds that are rich in protein, making it valuable for animal nutrition.
In Nigerian pastures, these grass and legume species play a crucial role in providing forage for livestock, improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
They are selected based on their adaptability to local environmental conditions and their nutritional value for livestock.