Role of Super Hybrid Napier Grass for Fodder and Biogas Production -Dr. P. C. Patel

Hybrid Napier Grass:
Green forages are rich and cheapest sources of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and minerals for dairy animals. The importance of forages in our country is well recognized since feeding forages alone accounts for over 60% of the cost of milk production. Hence by providing sufficient quantities of fodder instead of costly concentrates and feeds to the milch animals, the cost of milk production can considerably be reduced.
The high-producing dairy cow requires a diet that supplies the nutrients for high milk production. Carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and water are all nutrients required by the lactating dairy cow to meet the demand of the mammary gland to produce milk and milk components. The calcium requirements of lactating dairy cows are high relative to other species or nonlactating cows because of the high calcium concentration in milk.
Hybrid Napier Grass:
There are many hybrids of Napier Grass in India but Bajra Napier hybrids Super, APBN-1, CO3, and CO5 were high yielding and recommended to plant with a spacing of 50 X 50 cm or 100 cm X 100 cm in the fertile part of land. Guinea grass was recommended for moderately fertile land under tree plantation as it is tolerant to shed conditions.
Harvesting and Crop Yield:
The Hybrid Napier first cutting will be taken after 50-60 days of planting and the subsequent cuttings at 45-50 days intervals. It contains more oxalic acid content in an earlier stage so never take cutting earlier (at 25-30 days intervals) otherwise health problems in cattle. The green forage yield is 250 to 300 tons per hectare in 6 to 7 cuttings in one year and thereafter 2 and 3 years, the green forage yield is 200 to 250 tons/ha/year.
Super Hybrid Napier What is Special?
• Fast Growth: It has fastest growth of 10 feet in 59 days
• High Yield: 12.5 tons per acre and 8 harvests per year. In other words, 200 tons per acre, which can feed 20 dairy cows for 12 months.
• Best Nutrition: The presence of 16-18 % protein is very important for animals particularly for dairy cows to produce more milk.
• All Weather Friendly Growth: It is drought resistant and can grow in any kind of location irrespective of wet or dry season. The only need is the soil rich in organic matter which makes it perfectly suitable for the Indian subcontinent.
• Easy Storage: This has water-soluble carbonate 18, which means no need to add additives to store this plant(silage).
Thailand-“King of Napier”
Super Hybrid Napier Grass for Biogas Production:
Result and conclusion:
A study conducted at Biofics Pvt. Ltd, Surat, Gujarat, India. In the first study, the biogas produced from this sample using microbial treatment had a methane concentration of 62.3% (6.0 Kg biogas from 100 kg green fodder of Hybrid Napier grass, i.e.; 6.0 %). In the second case, 80 kilograms of raw material was processed using chemical treatment (1% NaOH solution) to yield 6.9 metric cubes of biogas in just seven days. The biogas produced from this sample had a methane concentration of 61.5% (6.5 Kg biogas from 100 kg green fodder of Hybrid Napier grass, i.e.; 6.5 % biogas). So 1.0 % NaOH produced slightly higher (0.5 % only) than microbial treatment.
Conclusion:
From both studies, we can conclude that microbial treatment and chemical (base) treatment were required to obtain a higher yield of biogas from Napier grass. The results of the investigations indicate that both provide comparatively similar yield and microbial treatment was more cost-effective and easier than chemical treatment.

[@laxminarayanrathi6177]

In Ahmedabad napier grass yield is 2000 Mt पर A

[@patelrasheshk]

From how much area of land ?