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Pak. J. Bot., 44: 117-121, Special Issue March 2012.

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MACRO-MINERAL QUANTIFICATION OF THE FORAGE GRASS SPECIES IN THE GANDGAR HILLS, WESTERN HIMALAYA, PAKISTAN

ZIA-UR-REHMAN MASHWANI*^1,2, MIR AJAB KHAN², MUSHTAQ AHMAD², MUHAMMAD ZAFAR², NAVEED IQBAL RAJA¹, MUHAMMAD ARSHAD¹AND SAMIULLAH²

Abstract: The present study was conducted in Gandgar Range, the foothills of Western Himalaya to determine the macro-mineral composition in locally available forage grass species. The study area extends from 33^◦52´ to 34^◦25´ north latitude and from 72^◦30´ to 72^◦55´ east longitude. A total of twenty one forage grass species included: Apluda mutica, Arthroxon prinodes, Avena sativa, Bracharia repten, Bracharia ramosa, Chrysopogon aucheri, Cymbopogon jawaracusa, Cymbopogon martini, Cynodon dactylon, Dactyloctinium aegypticum, Dicanthum annulatum, Digitaria singuinales, Echinocloa colona, Eleusine indica, Eragrostis cilianances. Heteropogon contortus. Pennesitum orientales, Phalaris minor, Poa annua, Sorghum helipenses, Themeda anathera, were identified and analyzed.  Samples were acid digested and their macro-mineral (Ca, Na, K, Mg,) quantification is done by atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The result shows the highest concentration of Ca in the Digitaria sanguinalis, and lowest in Eleusine indica. Highest concentration of Na in Arthraxon prionodes, and lowest in Themeda anathera, Highest concentration of K in Pennesitum orientale, and lowest in Arthraxon prionodes,  highest concentration of Mg in Pennesitum orientale, while lowest in Arthraxon prionodes. The forage grass species have high concentration of macro-minerals and suitable to fed livestock with some supplementation for different stages of production and kinds of livestock.

¹Department of Botany, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi

²Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad

*Corresponding author E-mail: zia.botany@gmail.com; mashwani@uaar.edu.pk