Selection and utilization of panicum maximum cv.Reyan No.8

Panicum maximum cv.Reyan No.8 was seleted from a group of tropical forage varieties introduced from CIAT in 1988 and trial planted in 1990.The preliminary results showed that P.maximum cv.Reyan No.8 maintained such characteristics of Panicum species as high dry matter yield and good quality.It yielded 22,500kg/hm~(2) of fresh forage and contained 7.738%(DM) of crude protein (CP.The flower period was 30 days later than that of P.maximum cv.Trichoglume,and the seed production was 480.2kg/hm~(2),87.8%higher than that of P.maximum cv.Trichoglume.It was tolerant to shade and infertile and acid soil and hence suitable for growing in tropical and sub-tropical regions in China.