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SEASONAL VARIATION IN CURRENT SEASON AND DEAD BIOMASS OF CHRYSOPOGON AUCHERI (BOISS) STAPF.  AND CYMBOPOGON JWARANCUSA (JONES) SCHULT. IN HIGHLAND BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN

SARFRAZ AHMAD¹, MUHAMMAD ISLAM¹, GUL BANO², SOHAIL ASLAM¹ AND SHAISTA KOUKAB¹

Abstract: Aboveground current season growth biomass and dead accumulated biomass of Chrysopogon aucheri (Boiss) Stapf., and Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones) Schult., were evaluated during 2001 and 2002 in a protected site of Hazarganji-Chiltan National Park in highland Balochistan. Cymbopogon jwarancusa current season biomass ranged from 27 kg/ha in April to 51 kg/ha in June whereas Chrysopogon aucheri current season biomass production ranged from 2 kg/ha in April to 54 kg/ha in June. Above ground dead biomass of Cymbopogon jwarancusa ranged from 77 to 310 kg/ha whereas the dead biomass of Chrysopogon aucheri ranged from 50 to 320 kg/ha. In both years the dead biomass remained more than 70% in the growing season. The protected site had a higher accumulation of aboveground dead material and limited new growth. Accumulated dead materials reducing the productivity of these grasses and planned grazing or clipping may improve the productivity and quality of these grasses.   

¹Arid Zone Research Centre, Quetta, Pakistan

²Department of Botany, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.

E-mail: s_ahmadazrc@yahoo.com