High Forage Yield Research Articles

Determination of the Hay Yield Performances of Varieties Belonging to Different Amaranth Species in Irrigated and Dry Conditions

Farklı amaçlar (sebze, dane, süs ve yem bitkisi olarak ) için tercih edilen amarantların, ekstrem iklim ve toprak koşullarına toleranslarının yüksek olduğu bilinmektedir. Ancak Ülkemizde yem amacıyla kullanılan amarant türlerinin sulu ve kuru koşullarda ot verim performanslarının değerlendirilmesine yönelik bir çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Mevcut çalışma ile farklı amarant türlerine ait çeşitlerin (Sterk, Helios ve Ultra) ot verimi ve bazı özellikleri (bitki boyu, sap kalınlığı, yaprak sayısı, yaş ot verimi, kuru ot verimi, kuru ot oranı, yaprak, sap ve salkım oranı) sulu ve kuru koşullarda belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu amaçla 2017 ve 2018 yıllarında tesadüf bloklarında bölünmüş parseller deneme deseninde 3 tekerrürlü bir çalışma kurulmuştur. Çalışma sonucunda çeşitlerin bitki boyu, sap kalınlığı, yaprak sayısı, yaprak oranı, yaş ot ve kuru ot verimleri sulu koşullarda, kuru ot oranı, sap ve salkım oranları ise kuruda daha yüksek bulunmuştur. Çeşitler açısından en yüksek yaş ot ve kuru ot verimleri Helios çeşidini müteakiben Sterk çeşidinde belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca Sterk ve Helios çeşitlerinin kuru koşullarda azımsanmayacak oranda yaş ot ve kuru ot verimlerine sahip oldukları ortaya konulmuştur. Sonuç olarak yüksek ot verimleri için Sterk çeşidinin sulu koşullarda yetiştirilmesinin uygun olacağı kanısına varılmıştır.

Forage yield and nutritive value of hay from sorghum-sudangrass hybrids

The objective was to evaluate agronomically nine sorghum-sudangrass hybrids (Sorghum bicolor × Sorghum sudanense) and the nutritive value of their respective hays. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in a 3 × 9 factorial scheme, with three replications. Three cuts were made: 42 days after germination, 29 days after regrowth, and 28 days after the second regrowth. All hybrids showed a higher number of plants ha–1 (P < 0.05) in the second cut. For the green matter and dry matter production of the hays, the values ranged from 49.16 to 62.07 t ha–1 and 9.07 to 11.43 t ha–1, respectively. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in dry matter, mineral matter, or ether extract. The hybrids 1013020, BRS 810, 1013016, and 1624F016 showed higher values of crude protein (CP) of 16.49, 16.17, 16.08, and 15.88%, respectively. Differences were observed (P < 0.05) in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content. The hybrids 1013020, BRS 802, 1013021, 1013016, BRS 810, and 1624F006 presented lower levels of NDF (60.57, 60.74, 62.15, 62.37, 62.58, and 64.70%, respectively). The hybrids BRS 802, 1013016, BRS 810, and 1624F006, stood out above the others, presenting high forage yield and adequate nutritive value (CP content >13% and NDF content <65%).

Effects of Oat Hay Content in Diets on Nutrient Metabolism and the Rumen Microflora in Sheep.

Simple SummaryProviding high-quality forage for the animal husbandry to improve the quality of animal husbandry products and meet the needs of the public is one of the focuses of the current animal husbandry development. Oats have high nutritional value, and the planting area in our country is increasing year by year. It has become the new favorite of the breeding industry, and its development prospects are very broad. At present, there are few domestic research reports on the best addition of oat hay in ruminant diets, ruminant digestion and metabolism, and ruminant flora. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to add different proportions of oat hay to sheep feed to study its effect on sheep digestion and metabolism and rumen microflora. The experimentally obtained data showed that, with the increase in the content of oat hay in the diet, the appearance of sheep dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility, as well as the diversity and abundance of rumen microbes, showed an upward trend. All presented data provide a theoretical basis for the scientific application of oat hay in sheep breeding.Oats have the characteristics of drought tolerance, cold resistance, strong adaptability, high forage yield, and high nutritional value. However, there are few reports on the most appropriate amount of oat hay in ruminant diets, the digestion and metabolism of ruminants, and the rumen microflora. To study the effects of oat hay content in diets on nutrient digestion and metabolism and the rumen microflora in sheep, 9 German Merino and Mongolian crossbred rams of similar body condition and weight with permanent fistulas were selected. The 3 × 3 Latin square design was used to randomly divide the rams into 3 groups, with 3 animals in each group. The three groups were fed different kinds of roughage: whole-plant corn silage only (corn silage group, CSG), oat hay mixed with whole-plant corn silage (1:1) (mixed group, MG), and oat hay only (oat hay group, OHG). The nutrient digestion and metabolism of each group were measured, and the pH and rumen microflora were examined after feeding for different durations. Dynamic changes in microbial communities were detected. The nutrient digestion and metabolism results showed that, with an increase in the content of oat hay in the diet, the intake and apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) showed an increasing trend, and the intake, digestion, and stability of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased in the OHG. The apparent digestibility, dietary nitrogen, deposited nitrogen, and nitrogen retention rate in this group were significantly higher than those in the CSG (p < 0.05). The rumen pH and sequencing results showed that the rumen fluid pH of the CSG was significantly lower than that of the OHG at 1 and 5 h (p < 0.05). The main microbial in the rumen of the three groups of sheep were Bacteroides, Sclerotium, and Proteus. The dominant taxon in the CSG was Prevotella, followed by Vibrio syringae, and the dominant taxon in the MG and OHG was Prevotella, followed by Rikenellaceae. Redundancy analysis showed that ADF and NDF in the feed had an effect on the abundance of Fibrobacteres, Ruminococcaceae, and Prevotella. Our findings indicate that the use of oat hay roughage in the diet significantly improves the apparent digestibility of NDF and ADF and helps maintain the stable state of the sheep’s rumen internal environment and the growth of rumen microorganisms.

FORAGE YIELD, QUALITY CHARACTERS AND GENETIC VARIABILITY OF SOME PROMISING EGYPTIAN CLOVER POPULATIONS

The present study was conducted to evaluate eight berseem populations (selected for high forage yield) with five check cultivars and to estimate the relationships between yield, some growth parameters, quality characters, genetic variance, phenotypic variance, heritability, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variability in the experimental research station at Nubaria region, Al-Behira government across the two growing seasons 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The results could be summarized from the combined analysis of the two seasons which indicated that the cultivar Helaly recorded the highest fresh and dry yield (71.065, 9.783 kg/plot) followed by the promising Pop.4 (70.579, 9.699 kg/plot) and Pop.6 (69.388, 9.683 kg/plot), respectively with insignificant differences. Helaly, Gemmiza- 1 and Pop.6 recorded the highest values of dry leaf/stem ratio with insignificant differences. The highest fresh leaf/stem ratio was obtained from Helaly, Pop.4 and Pop.6. While Pop.1 and Giza-6 recorded the lowest values of fresh and dry leaf/stem ratio. However, mean percentage of crude protein (CP %) and digestible crude protein (DCP %) were lower in Serw- 1 and Pop.1, while, Pop.46 and Gemmiza-1 recorded the highest values of CP% and DCP%. Helaly, Pop.46 and Gemmiza-1 gave the highest values of crude fiber (CF%) and ash%. Heritability was high for all traits studied. Fresh leaf/stem ratio showed the highest heritability (97.50%) followed by dry leaf/stem ratio (96.38%). A positive correlation was obtained between ash% with dry leaf/stem ratio and dry leaf/stem ratio (r = 0.87** and r = 0.86**), and between crude fiber with dry leaf/stem ratio and dry leaf/stem ratio (r = 0.90** and r = 0.84**). Besides, there was highly significant correlation between crude fiber% and ash% (r =-0.94**).The results reflected that Pop.4 and Pop.6 did not differ significantly from the commercial cultivar Helaly, and therefore it is recommended to multiply and use them in the breeding program to improve the productivity of Egyptian clover.

Oat as Green Fodder and Its Intercropping Benefits: A Review

Oat (Avena sativa L.) has been grown in the past hundred years, though its production potential is yet to be explored to combat the winter forage scarcity. The oats can be grown in combination with other fodder legumes such as berseem, lucerne, pea and vetch. In order to increase productivity per unit area, there is a need to test the promising forage species having high forage yield potential and quality as well the compatibility for mix cropping. The present review explores the productive potential of oat combined with promising legumes in terms of dry matter and chemical composition. The present review summarizes the benefits of oat-legume intercropping on forage yield and quality. Further, it discusses that oats in combination with pea and or vetch could be a potential model of intercropping to attain an increased forage dry matter yield that could address the situation of mitigating DM shortage, especially during winter season.

Oat genotypic requirement for intercropping with vetch under Mediterranean conditions

AbstractOat (Avena spp. L.) intercropped with common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) has shown high forage yield and crude protein content (CP) in rainfed Mediterranean environments of Greece. The objective was to study the oat genotypic interactions for yield, quality and agronomic traits of four oat accessions (cv. Flega and lines B2, B3 and B4) grown as intercrops with a common vetch cultivar (Pegasus) and as monocrops without or with nitrogen (N) supplementation (100 kg N/ha). In all mixtures, the land equivalent ratio exceeded the unit indicating that there was a yield advantage. Intercrops produced, on average, 5.0% less dry matter (DM) and 38.9% more crude protein yield (CPY) compared to monocropped oats with N fertilization and 3.4% more DM and 75.5% more CPY compared to monocropped oats without N fertilization. The DM, CP and quality differences between the intercropped and monocropped oats were attributed to oats by vetch cultivar interactions. The oat B2 intercropped was the shortest, the latest flowering and the less vigorous early in the season, a trait that allowed common vetch to dominate in the intercrop (vetch participation 770 g/kg). The high vetch fragment in the intercrop contributed to high CP, CPY, acid detergent lignin, total digestible nutrients, relative feeding value, relative forage quality, net energy for lactation and to low neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and hemicellulose. The replacement value index indicated that the intercrop was 21% more economically viable in comparison to the fertilized monocrop.

Mixture cropping of berseem clover with cereals to improve forage yield and quality under irrigated conditions of the Mediterranean basin

Mixture cropping of annual forage legumes and grasses is a common strategy to support sustainable forage supply in low input agricultural systems, especially in the Mediterranean basin. In a two-year field study, conducted in Northern Egypt, productivity and nutritive value of four cuts of berseem clover, triticale, and oat, cultivated as monocultures as well as legume-grass binary mixtures, with variable mixing rates, were investigated using a split plot design in three replicates. The tested mixing rates were: 1. 0% Grass (G) + 100% Berseem clover (BC), 2. 25% G + 75% BC, 3. 50% G + 50% BC, 4. 75% G + 25% BC, and 5. 100% G + 0% BC. Berseem clover mixtures with triticale produced the highest significant 3rd cut fresh yield, while BC mixtures with oat were superior at the 1st and 2nd cut's fresh yield. Crude protein (CP) content was highest in BC monocultures and clover-triticale mixture (75%:25%). Grasses, in general, improved the dry matter accumulation and carbohydrate components in the forage mixtures, with triticale being superior to oat. The significantly highest digestible organic matter (DOM) was a character of the pure BC stands, and mixtures with 75% BC. Noticeably, the tested grasses did not regrow after being cut for the third time; thus, the fourth cut was composed only of BC. Variations in DOM were most dependent on variations in CP content. Results revealed that mixtures of BC with triticale at 75%:25% mixing rate produced high forage yield with improved quality than the other mixtures.

Increase of nitrogen-use efficiency by phosphorus fertilization in grass–legume pastures

Forage legumes intercropped with grasses add nitrogen (N) to the production system and may increase forage yields. However, both phosphate fertilization and the solubility of phosphorus (P) sources may affect this contribution. This study aimed to evaluate the response of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) intercropped with legumes and fertilized with phosphate fertilizers of different solubility. Guinea grass was grown as a single crop, fertilized or not with mineral N, and intercropped with Java (Macrotyloma axillare), or dwarf pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan); phosphorus was applied as triple superphosphate (P-TSP) or Bayovar (P-Bay), plus a control without phosphorus. The highest forage yield and N accumulation was observed in Guinea grass fertilized with N and P, with 70,364 and 60,036 kg ha−1of dry matter, resulting in 977 and 1004 kg ha−1 of N accumulated by the plants for P-TSP and P-Bay, respectively. The introduction of legumes increased the N accumulation but decreased yield of Guinea grass. The highest nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was found with P fertilization, i.e., 56% and 54% for P-TSP and P-Bay, respectively. The use of legumes intercropped with Guinea does not improve the effectiveness of the reactive rock phosphate. Therefore, the introduction of legumes intercropping with Guinea grass may be an alternative to N fertilization only when P is not applied to low fertile soils. Broadcast and incorporated P fertilization by the time of Guinea grass sowing, not only increases forage yields but also results in higher NUE regardless of P fertilizer solubility.

Agronomic Performance and Nutritive Value of Mucuna Legume (Stilozobium Deeringianum (Bort) Merr.) as Influenced by Cutting Dates in Peruvian Central Coast

The agronomic performance and nutritive value of Mucuna legume (Stilozobium deeringianum (Bort) Merr.) in five stages were evaluated under climatic conditions of Peruvian central coast to estimate optimum stage of use. Five cutting ages were: 21, 42, 63, 84 and 105 days. Crop growing, forage yield, chemical composition, vitro dry matter digestibility and net energy for lactation of Mucuna were evaluated. The optimum cutting age was 84 days with 25633.3 kg. Ha-1 of fresh matter and 6422.6 kg-1 ha-1 of dry matter. In this age crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber and in vitro dry matter digestibility contents were 14.94%, 44.80%, 33.15% and 66.12 %. Net energy for lactation was 1.43 Mcal.kg-1. These results show that Mucuna was well adapted to Peruvian Central Coast with high forage yield and nutritive value.

Effects of planting density on the growth and forage yield of two varieties of millet (Pennisetum typhoides Burm. F.) grown in Ekpoma, Nigeria.

A field study was carried out during the 2016 cropping season to determine the effect of planting density on the growth and yield performance of two varieties of millet at Ekpoma. Gero badeggi and Gero bida varieties were sown at three densities (111,111, 222,222 and 333,333 plants ha-1). The experiment was a 2 x 3 factorial scheme laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The result shows that planting density had no significant effect on the growth parameters measured. However, Gero badeggi planted at 111,111 plants ha-1had the tallest plants, highest number of leaves/plant and stem girth while Gero bida planted at 333,333 plants ha-1 gave the shortest plants, least number of leaves/plant and stem girth, respectively. There was no significant difference in flowering trait amongst densities, but the varieties differed markedly in days to 50% flowering. Increasing planting density significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased the forage yield. However, crops sown at higher densities had higher forage yield than the low density. The differences in observed between varieties were significant in some of the studied characters and thus millet sown at 111,111 and 333,333 plants/ha is recommended for millet production in the area.Keywords: Millet, planting density, growth and forage yield.

A genetic view on the role of prolonged drought stress and mating systems on post-drought recovery, persistence and drought memory of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.)

The consequences of recurrent drought events compared with a single drought and its interaction with deliberate selfing, compared with open-pollination on post-stress recovery, persistence, and drought memory, are not understood in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). A long term study was started by creating 25 selfed (S1) and 25 open-pollinated progeny of orchardgrass in 2012. Populations were studied in the field, applying a normal and a recurrent drought stress environment for 4 years (2013–2016). In 2016, after the first harvest (June), watering was withheld in both moisture environments for 2 months and then plants were re-watered and evaluated for post-drought recovery and drought memory. On average, open pollination caused higher forage yield in the second and third years; while, in the first and fourth years, there was no significant difference. Obligate selfing reduced persistence of genotypes but did not affect recovery after prolonged drought. The early flowering genotypes had more plant productivity, yield stability, persistence, and drought tolerance, and were also capable of more regrowth and recovery. The results showed that genotypes of orchardgrass constantly performed differently under periodic drought as compared to prolonged drought stress. Moreover, there were significant genetic variations between genotypes in terms of stress memory.

Biomass Yield, Nitrogen Content and Uptake, And Nutritive Value of Alfalfa Co-Inoculated with Plant-Growth Promoting Bacteria

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has high forage yield potential, protein quality, palatability, and digestibility, and low seasonality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Azospirillum brasilense on the nutritive content, bromatological composition (crude protein [CP], neutral detergent fiber [NDF], acid detergent fiber [ADF], and in vitro digestibility of dry weight [IVDDW]), and shoot dry weight (SDW), relative chlorophyll index (RCI), number of tillers (NT), plant height (PH), and root dry weight (RDW) and volume (RV), of alfalfa grown in a Typic Ultisol. The experiment consisted of eight combinations of plant-growth promoting bacteria (PGPB). The treatments were as follows: T1:non-inoculated control without N-fertilizer (NI); T2: NI + N-fertilizer, and inoculated with T3: Sinorhizobium (=Ensifer) meliloti SEMIA 116 + N-fertilizer; T4: S. meliloti SEMIA 116 + A. brasilense Ab-V5 + Ab-V6 + N-fertilizer; T5: S. meliloti SEMIA 134 + N-fertilizer; T6: S. meliloti SEMIA 134 + co-inoculation + N-fertilizer; T7: S. meliloti SEMIA 135 + N-fertilizer; and T8: S. meliloti SEMIA 135 + co-inoculation + N-fertilizer. S. meliloti strains are used in commercial inoculants for the alfalfa, and A. brasilense for several non-legumes and legumes in Brazil. The experiment was performed for three successive cuts under greenhouse conditions. Application of N-fertilization increases the production cost, making alfalfa cultivation unviable. Inoculation with three strains of Sinorhizobium meliloti highly promoted alfalfa growth, considering several parameters, including PH, RCI, NT, SDW and RDW, nutritive value, and with an emphasis on RV, and total N content and total N accumulated in shoots and roots. No further increases were observed with the co-inoculation with the PGPB A. brasilense. Studies in field and greenhouse conditions are necessary to verify the benefits of the use of PGPB in the cultivation of alfalfa.

Harvest Time and Cultivar Effects on Growth, Physiological Traits, Yield and Quality of Alfalfa in Saline Condition

One of the most important forage crops in Iran is Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Cultivar selection is important for alfalfa hay production. This research was carried out in 2017 and 2018 to assess the effects of harvest time and cultivar on growth, physiological traits and yield of alfalfa in saline condition. These field experiments were carried out at the Research Farm of East-Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Tabriz, Iran (Firuz Salar village located 4 km from Azarshahr city). Results showed that the synthetic cultivars (C2 and C3) and especially C4 (Azar cultivar) has the highest forage yield and it attributed to high chlorophyll content, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, proline content, leaf area index (LAI), stem diameter, plant height and leaf to shoot ratio in these cultivars. However, the highest malondialdehyde (MDA) content related to C1 cultivar (Gara-Yonjeh as a local cultivar). Maximum of fresh and dry forage yields were achieved in second and third harvest times and it have related to high chlorophyll content, enzyme activities (CAT, POD and SOD), LAI, stem diameter, plant height, leaf to shoot ratio, proline and MDA contents in these harvest times. The highest acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), protein content and digestibility were obtained from C4 followed by C3, C2 and C1 cultivars. Value of ADF, NDF, protein content and digestibility were more during early harvests (H1 and H2) than during last harvests (H3 and H4). These findings have shown that suitable harvesting time of forage alfalfa is second stage for high yield and first stage for high quality. Synthetic cultivars and especially Azar cultivar was a superior cultivar. Thus, harvest time and cultivar selections can influence the yield and quality of alfalfa.

Variation of Phytoestrogen Content and Major Agronomic Traits in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Populations

Alfalfa is the main perennial legume and a rich source of phytoestrogens. Variation of phytoestrogen content and agronomic traits was evaluated in twenty alfalfa populations over two consecutive years. The most dominant phytoestrogen in alfalfa populations was genistein, while slightly lower levels were found for kaempferol and coumestrol. Several populations (Af 1, 12, 18, 19, 20) showed superior agronomic performance, especially high forage yield (up to 71.93 t ha−1). These populations were also characterized by a lower (Af 1, 12, 18, 20) or high (Af 1, 19) content of total and individual phytoestrogens, including Af 8 population with the highest total content (2637.10 μg g-1 of DM) and content of most of the individual phytoestrogens and favorable agronomic properties. Ward hierarchical clustering method grouped the twenty evaluated populations into four distinct clusters. Identified materials provide a valuable source of germplasm for further breeding programs in order to develop new high-yielding cultivars with either low (for forage use) or high (for possible pharmaceuticals/nutraceuticals industries) phytoestrogen content.

Yield Component Responses of the Brachiaria brizantha Forage Grass to Soil Water Availability in the Brazilian Cerrado

Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of beef cattle and dairy products, which requires high forage yield to attend grass-fed animals’ demand. Among the grass species adopted in the forage production system in Brazil, the Brachiaria genus stands out. This genus comprises nearly 85% of all planted forage area. In general, forage production systems in Brazil are essentially rainfed, and thus susceptible to seasonal soil water stresses. Selecting the suitable Brachiaria cultivar for lands susceptible to periodic waterlogging and dry spells is crucial to enhance forage yield, and consequently, to reduce the environmental footprint of the livestock sector. In this research, we investigated the performance of three recent commercial Brachiaria brizantha cultivars (Piatã, BRS Paiaguás, and MG13 Braúna) extensively adopted in Brazil’s grazing systems subjected to different ranges of soil water potential. For three cutting periods, yield related-variables (e.g., plant height, leaf area, dry biomass, and water use efficiency) were measured. Our results point to the existence of a low drought-resistant trait among cultivars, indicating the need for releasing better-adapted cultivars to cope with reduced soil water availability. All cultivars achieved higher performance at soil water pressure head between −15 kPa and −25 kPa; and in general, the cultivar. Piatã showed slightly superior results to most of the treatments.

Catch crops and feeding strategy can reduce the risk of nitrogen leaching in late lactation fodder beet systems

ABSTRACTAutumn grazing of high-yielding forage crops such as fodder beet (FB) has increased in popularity in many regions of New Zealand. During grazing, large amounts of urinary nitrogen (N) is returned to the soil which is at risk of leaching. This study evaluated using two different catch crops of oats or Italian ryegrass (‘Italian RG’) to reduce the risk of N leaching both after FB grazing by lactating dairy cows and after lifting (i.e. un-grazed FB) in autumn. During FB grazing, cows grazed either (i) high [40% of diet dry matter (DM), with pasture; FB40] or (ii) low (25% of diet DM, with pasture; FB25) FB allocations. Both Italian RG and oats reduced soil mineral N (0–90 cm depth) by 16%–37% by August, and 53%–58% by October, compared with a fallow control (115 and 100 kg N ha−1 for August and October, respectively). The greatest reductions in soil mineral N were from oats, largely attributed to higher DM yields resulting in greater N uptake. Furthermore, the total amounts of soil mineral N in the soil after grazing differed between FB allocation treatments and lifted FB (FB25 > FB40 > lifted FB), in proportion to urinary-N inputs and associated dietary N intake.

Multi-environment evaluation of foxtail millet advanced lines for forage yield stability

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L. P. Beauv.) is a very important crop in the arid and semi-arid areas. In the present study, five advanced lines and one commercial check (Bastan) were tested across12 (six locations and two years) environments. An attempt was made to identify superior line(s) with emphasis on high forage yield potential and yield stability over multi-environment trials using GGE biplot analysis. The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Combined analysis of variance for forage yield showed that the genotypes, environments, and the interaction effects were highly significant (P ? 0.01). The environment, genotype and interaction effects accounted for 76.38%, 6.97% and 8.92% of the total forage yield variation, respectively. GGE biplot analysis showed that G5 has both high forage yield and stability across the studied environments and E3 and E4 were high-yielding environments in this study. Which-won-where study partitioned the testing locations into two mega-environments with G5 and G3 as winning genotypes in the first and second mega-environment, respectively. According to discriminate ability and representativeness, the E4 and E12 environments were perfect environments. Overall, existence of extensive crossover interaction clearly suggested that efforts are necessary to identify location-specific genotypes over multi-environment trials for release of new varieties.

Morphological and yield responses of spineless cactus Orelha de Elefante Mexicana under different cutting intensities

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the effects of different cutting intensities on the morphological responses and forage yield of spineless cactus Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (OEM) (Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw) in a 12-month cycle, receiving supplemental irrigation. Three cutting intensities were evaluated: cut preserving only the mother cladode (MOTHC), cut preserving primary cladodes (PRIMC), and cut preserving secondary cladodes (SECC), equivalent to initial residual cladode area index (rCAI) of 0.08, 0.33 and 0.69, respectively. The experiment was a randomized block design with eight replicates. The cutting intensities PRIMC and SECC resulted in higher plant height and width, total cladode number and cladode area index compared to MOTHC. The harvested plant weight, forage yield (t DM ha-1), forage accumulation rate and water use efficiency were greater for PRIMC and SECC in comparison to MOTHC. The forage yield for MOTHC was 20.92 t DM (dry matter) ha-1, while for PRIMC and SECC were 37.55 and 33.18 t DM ha-1, respectively. The final CAI was 1.23, 2.53 and 3.55 for MOTHC, SECC and PRIMC, respectively. Morphological and yield responses of OEM Spineless cactus under supplemental irrigation are influenced by cutting intensities, in which less intense cuts (preserving the primary or secondary cladodes) promote taller and wider plants, and higher forage yield.

Seeding and nitrogen fertilization effects on the yield and quality of brachytic dwarf brown midrib forage sorghum hybrids

AbstractBrown midrib (BMR) forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] silage is an alternative to corn (Zea mays L.) silage for areas with limited soil moisture. Traditional forage varieties are tall and prone to lodging, with low forage quality. Brachtyic dwarf BMR lines are shorter and lodging‐resistant and have higher forage quality. Newer earlier‐maturing hybrids have expanded the potential adaptation of forage sorghums to northern latitudes. A 2‐yr study was conducted during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons with brachytic dwarf BMR forage hybrids to determine the effects of different seeding and N fertilization rates on forage dry matter yield and quality. The experimental design was a split‐split‐plot with four replications. The main plots were two hybrids (‘AF7202’ and ‘AF7401’), the subplots were two seeding rates (80,000 and 120,000 seeds acre−1), and the sub‐subplots were two N rates (110 and 150 lb acre−1). Significant differences were observed between hybrids for all parameters except neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) in 2015. The early hybrid, AF7202, had higher yields and higher starch content and net energy for lactation levels than dwarf hybrid AF7401 and was more responsive to higher N. AF7401 had higher crude protein content and NDFD. Crude protein increased as N level increased for both hybrids but other forage quality traits were unaffected. Neither variety responded to an increased seeding rate. The earlier brachytic dwarf forage sorghums, such as AF7202, managed with recommended seeding rates and possibly higher N rates, have potential for high forage yield and quality in central Pennsylvania.

Influencia del estiércol composteado y micorriza arbuscular sobre la composición química del suelo y el rendimiento productivo de maíz forrajero (Zea mays L.)

Introducción: El estiércol composteado (E) es una alternativa al reciclaje de nutrientes, y puede mejorar o mantener la fertilidad del suelo sustituyendo a la fertilización convencional. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar las características y composición química del suelo, porcentaje de infección del hongo micorrízico arbuscular (M) en raíz, características agronómicas de la planta, tasa de crecimiento en el cultivo, acumulación de nutrientes y rendimiento productivo, en respuesta del E y del Glomus intraradices (M) en maíz forrajero.Método: Se evaluaron seis niveles de fertilización orgánica (15, 30 y 45 t ha-1 de E, 15, 30 y 45 t ha-1 de EM), uno de fertilización química (FQ: 160-60-30 kg ha-1 de NPK), y un testigo (sin fertilizar: SF), en dos ciclos de cultivos (Ciclo, PV: primavera-verano y OI: otoño-invierno). Se utilizó E y G. intraradices. Las variables estudiadas en el suelo fueron: pH, conductividad eléctrica (CE), materia orgánica (MO), N, P, K, Ca, capacidad de intercambio catiónico (CIC), numero de esporas; en la planta: acumulación de nutrientes (N, P, K, Ca), porcentaje de infección en raíz, altura, numero de hojas y materia seca (MS); en el cultivo: tasa de crecimiento del cultivo (TCC), rendimiento de forraje en materia verde (MV t ha-1) y materia seca (MS t ha-1).Resultados: Con excepción del K en suelo y la CIC, el Tratamiento, Ciclo y la interacción de ambos factores afectaron (P&lt;0.05) las variables que definieron la composición química del suelo (pH, CE, MO, N, P, Ca), la acumulación de nutrientes en planta (N, P, K, Ca) y el rendimiento de forraje en MV y MS. En OI, FQ presentó el menor contenido de MO; en PV, un incremento en el E (de 15E a 45E) permitió aumentar la MO (P&gt;0.05). El N en suelo fue mayor en OI con relación a PV en todos los tratamientos (P&gt;0.05). En OI, 30EM presentó la mayor acumulación de nutrientes en planta (N, P, K y Ca) con respecto al resto de los tratamientos (P&gt;0.05). En ambos ciclos, PV y OI, 30EM tuvo el mayor rendimiento de forraje en MS (P&gt;0.05).Discusión o Conclusión: La composición química del suelo, planta y el rendimiento de maíz forrajero fueron afectados por el uso de E solo o en combinación con M durante los ciclos PV y OI. El uso de 30EM representa una mejor opción de fertilización con relación SF y FQ debido a que la planta tuvo mayor producción de forraje en MS durante la PV y OI. El uso de G. intraradices en combinación con E contribuye a optimizar la utilización de nutrientes del suelo por la planta. Los resultados obtenidos son importantes para incrementar la calidad y cantidad de maíz forrajero.