ABSTRACT
A field study was conducted at Nsukka, Nigeria to determine the effects of cutting height and N
fertilizer application on dry matter yield of guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq) pasture in
2008 and 2009. The experiment was a 3 x 3 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block
design with three replications. Treatments comprised three cutting heights (5, 10 and 15 cm) and
three levels of nitrogen (0, 200 and 400 kg N ha-1
) resulting in nine treatment combinations per
block. Grass dry matter yield was increased (P > 0.05) by 4 % when cutting height increased
from 5 to 10 cm but significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by 16 % when cutting height increased from
10 to 15 cm in 2008. Grass dry matter yield was not significantly affected by variation in cutting
height in 2009. The total herbage (grass + weed) dry matter yield significantly (P < 0.05)
increased by 86 % and 47 % in 2008 and 2009, respectively, when nitrogen fertilizer was
increased from 0 to 400 kg N ha-1
. Low cutting height (5 cm) significantly (P < 0.05) increased
grass yield at the first two periods in 2008 but generally reduced grass yield relative to lax
cutting (15 cm) in most harvest periods in 2009. A combination of 10 cm cutting height with 400
kg N ha-1
gave the highest grass dry matter yield and was satisfactory in suppressing weed dry
matter yield