Dry matter yield and quality evaluation at two phenological stages of forage triticale grown in the Po Valley and Sardinia, Italy

Abstract

Autumn-sown cereals are a very important source of nutrients for livestock. Moreover, the harvesting of the entire plant at milk-dough stage makes a double-cropping approach possible resulting in higher yields per unit area. Of the various winter cereals, triticale is particularly interesting due to its quality–quantity potential as whole-plant silage. Given the broad range of triticale cultivars available today and the important role played by the environment on the nutritional value of forages, the present study was undertaken to establish the adaptability of modern cultivars to different locations for high quality whole-plant production at two growing stages. Our results indicate the yield potential of triticale as silage both in irrigated or in rainfed Mediterranean areas. Regarding quality of the forage the best performance was recorded in Sardinian environments where plant growth was characterised by a gradual temperature increase. Thus, in Mediterranean areas, triticale could represent a viable source of livestock feed during the summer period offsetting the dearth of fresh forage typical in these environments.