Effects of planting density and topdressing nitrogen fertilizer on the production performance of Pennisetum forage

Cui Ying; Liu Zheng; Liu Zhuotong; Yang Congying; Yang Nan

doi:10.20154/j.cnki.issn1672-9692.2025.12.007

Abstract：This study aimed to optimize high-yield cultivation techniques for Pennisetum forage in the Hetao Irrigation Area,using the Tianxuan No.1 variety as the research subject.The effects of planting density and topdressing nitrogen fertilizer on agronomic traits and production performance were investigated.The experiment included four planting densities(D1 group:670 plants/667 m²,D2 group:750 plants/667 m²,D3 group:860 plants/667 m²,D4 group:1 000 plants/667 m²)and five topdressing nitrogen fertilizer gradients(N0 group:0 kg/667 m²,N1 group:30 kg/667 m²,N2 group:40 kg/667 m²,N3 group:50 kg/667 m²,N4 group:60 kg/667 m²).The effects on plant height,stem diameter,tiller number,and fresh grass yield were analyzed.The results showed that as planting density increased,the plant height of Tianxuan No.1 decreased.D1 group had the highest plant height and the largest stem diameter,while D3 group achieved the highest tiller number(17.80)and the highest fresh grass yield(6 120.91 kg/667 m2),significantly exceeding other planting density groups(P<0.05).Topdressing nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased plant height,with all nitrogen application groups showing an increase of 8.80%～12.13%compared to N0 group(P<0.05).N2 group resulted in the highest tiller number,which was 35.38%higher than N0 group(P<0.05).Compared to N0 group,topdressing nitrogen fertilizer increased fresh grass yield by 22.91%～47.88%(P<0.05).The study indicates that the optimal planting density for Pennisetum forage in the Hetao Irrigation Area is 860 plants/667 m²,with a topdressing nitrogen fertilizer rate of 40 kg/667 m²,which can significantly enhance forage yield.The experimental results provide valuable insights for regional large-scale cultivation and the supply of high-quality forage.