How do you select Sudan grass seeds? What are the seedling raising methods?
Sudan grass is an annual herbaceous plant in the grass family, genus Sorghum, and is also a very good forage grass. Its nutritional value is very high, its palatability is good, all kinds of livestock like to eat it, and it is also one of the high-yield and high-quality green feeds for fish. It generally flowers and fruits from July to September. So how do you select Sudan grass seeds? What are the seedling raising methods? Let's take a look together below.
1. How do you select Sudan grass seeds?
Choose Sudan grass seeds that are plump and free of pests and diseases. Before sowing, sun-dry the seeds for 1-2 days, then soak them in 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate or warm water for 6-8 hours to break dormancy and increase the seed germination rate. In addition, dressing the seeds with triadimefon can prevent the occurrence of rust disease.
2. What are the seedling raising methods for Sudan grass?
1. Land preparation
To plant Sudan grass, we need deep plowing. We need to plow the land the day before sowing, and apply some fertilizer to the soil, then apply fertilizer to the soil again the next year, and carry out fine plowing. These steps cannot be omitted, because the growth of Sudan grass requires sufficient fertilizer, and this is also the guarantee that Sudan grass can grow into high-quality forage grass.
2. Sowing time
We must control the sowing time well. The soil temperature suitable for Sudan grass germination is 12-14°C. Because our country has a vast territory, the temperature varies between regions, so when sowing, we should not rigidly adhere to time. April to June is a sowing time that most regions can choose.
3. Sowing and seedling raising
The sowing method is generally drilling, with the sowing distance controlled at 20cm; you can also sow 3-5 seeds per hole, with a spacing of 40cm and a plant spacing of 15-20cm;
In addition, in order to control costs, we also need to control the seeding rate. It is generally recommended to sow 2.5~3kg per mu, with a sowing depth of 3-5cm. Clay should be sown shallowly, and sand should be sown deeply.
4. Post-sowing management
When the seeds emerge, we need to remove weeds, and in addition, we need to apply an appropriate amount of fertilizer and water according to the actual situation.
5. Harvesting
When it grows to about 1 meter, we can cut it. At this time, the stems are rich in sugar. If it is used to prepare silage feed, then we must wait until it is heading and flowering before harvesting. If it is used to prepare hay, it is better to cut it when it blooms. At this time, its stems and leaves are softer than corn and sorghum, and the stems are also thinner than theirs, so it is easy to prepare.
3. The main value of Sudan grass
1. Pasture
Sudan grass pastures can be used for grazing and feeding by livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs, and horses, with no worry of bloat. Generally, the first grazing is at the early jointing stage; the second at the booting stage; the third at the heading stage; and the fourth before or after frost, until all is eaten.
2. Green feeding
As a high-quality green, succulent feed for horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, rabbits, and fish, Sudan grass can be harvested in stages for feeding. Generally, when the plant height is 50-70 cm, it can be harvested for the first time, and afterward it is harvested once every 20-30 days. If young and tender fresh Sudan grass is used to feed pigs, it can account for 1/3-1/2 of the daily ration, fed as pulp or crushed; cattle need 30-40 kg of fresh grass per head per day; sheep and rabbits can be fed whole or chopped; when feeding fish, crushing the fresh grass before feeding gives better results.
3. Preparing hay
It has a long tillering period, a large number of tillers, rapid growth, and good regrowth ability, and can be cut two to three times a year. The yield is high and stable, the grass quality is good, and it is rich in nutrients. Its protein content ranks first among annual grass family forage grasses.
The above is an introduction to Sudan grass. Sudan grass is a green feed. Because its dry matter content is relatively low, it can only be used as a compound feed ingredient in feed. At present, there is Gaodan grass, a hybrid of Yajin sweet sorghum and Sudan grass, which has more advantages than ordinary Sudan grass, mainly improving the dry matter composition and sugar content, and also making the feed more palatable.
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