EFFECT OF CUTTING FREQUENCY ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF SOME SUMMER FORAGE CROPS | ||||
| Journal of Plant Production | ||||
| Article 2, Volume 25, Issue 2, February 2000, Page 643-655 PDF (330.74 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpp.2000.258541 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| A. E. El-Shahawy,; G. S. Gheit | ||||
| Forage Crops Res. Sec., Field Crops Res. Inst., A.R.C., Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study was conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station during 1998 and 1999 seasons. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum cutting schedule (4, 3 or 2 cuts in 130 days) of forage sorghum (local hybrid-102), pearl millet (c.v. Shandaweel-1) and teosinte (local variety). Split-plot design was used, forage crops were allocated to the main plots, whereas number of cuts were in sub-plots. The results indicated that forage sorghum produced highest total fresh and dry forage yield overall both seasons followed by pearl millet and then teosinte. Total yield of sorghum exceeded that of pearl millet and teosinte by (17.2, 5.8%) and (45.0, 26.1%) whereas pearl millet exceeded that of teosinte by 23.7, 19.2%) for fresh and dry forage yield, respectively. Two cuttings systems (across species) produced highest total fresh and dry forage yield followed by three cuts and four cuts, respectively. Total yield of two cuts exceeded that three cuts and four cuts by (4.7, 22.2%) and (22.9, 42.8%), whereas three cuts exceeded that of four cuts by (17.4, 16.9%) for fresh and dry forage yield, respectively. The interaction effect was significant for fresh and dry forage yield. Concerning chemical constituents, teosinte was higher in crude protein and lower in crude fiber and ash than forage sorghum or pearl millet. Increasing the number of cuts from 2 to 4 cuts increased crude protein (%) and decreased crude fiber (%). Ash content (%) fluctuated between forage crops or number of cuts. At time of cutting (regardless cutting schedule) forage sorghum plants were tallest, thick with lowest leaf/stem ratio, whereas, teosinte plants were shortest, thin with highest leaf/stem ratio and pearl millet plants were intermediate. Increasing number of cuts from 2 to 4 cuts led to decreasing plant height, stem diameter and inversing leaf/stem ratio. | ||||
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