INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE ON GROWTH OF FROKER OATS FOR FORAGE. II. CONCENTRATIONS AND YIELDS OF CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

Abstract

Froker oats (Avena sativa L.) was grown from seed to initial panicle emergence in three day/night temperature regimes: hot (H) 32/26 C, warm (W) 27/21 C, and cool (C) 21/15 C. At initial panicle emergence, some plants were transferred to the other regimes to provide nine temperature treatments until harvest at complete panicle emergence. High herbage concentrations of in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM) and total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) generally resulted when C temperatures prevailed after initial panicle emergence, whereas high crude protein (CP) and elemental concentrations generally resulted when H temperatures prevailed after initial panicle emergence. In general, yields (g/pot) of DM, IVDDM, TNC, CP, fat, and ash were influenced more by temperature before than after initial panicle emergence. However, yields of DM, IVDDM, and TNC were reduced markedly by the change from C to W and from C to H, and were increased by the change from H to C.