EFFECT OF THE LEGUME <i>STYLOSANTHES GRACILIS</i> ON PASTURE YIELDS AT SERERE, UGANDA

Abstract

The yields of Chloris gayana , pure and in mixture with Stylosanthes gracilis , were compared under nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur fertilizer treatments applied in factorial combination. The unfertilized grass/legume mixture gave twice the yield of pure grass. When fertilized with P and S, the mixed pasture produced over 3 times as much as the pure grass. The legume component of the mixture depressed the grass component as a result of competition. N increased grass growth but its net effect on total production in the grass/legume mixture was nil. The biggest single fertilizer effect was that of S on the legume.