Response of oat (Averza sativa) to cutting management, method of sowing and nitrogen

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during winter (rabl) seasons of 1997 98 and 1998 99 at Agricultural Research Station, Sriganganagar, to study the effect of cutting management, method of sowing and nitrogen doses on forage and grain yield of oat (Avena sativa L.). No cut treatment gave higher grain (26.05 and 28.40 qlha) and straw (82.83 and 86.55 qlha) yields than cutting at 65 or 85 days after sowing. However, higher fodder yield (1 58.08 and 168.80 qlha) was recorded when cutting was taken at 85 days. Net returns (Rs 15,619) and benefit : cost ratio (2.50) were higher with 1 cutting at 65 days and then the crop was left for grain production. Line sown crop recorded higher forage (142.23 and 153.05 L qlha) and grain (19.40 and 20.56 qlha) yield as well as net returns (Rs 17,329) and benefit : cost ratio (2.85) during both years than that of broadcast crop. Increasing level of nitrogen recorded higher yield, yield attributes as well as net returns and benefitcost ratio. The highest yield of forage (1 58.97, 169.90 qlha in 2 years), grain (23.55 and 23.73 qlha in 2 years), net return (Rs 20,129), and benefit : cost ratio (3.24) were recorded with 80 kg Nlha.