| Comparative yield performance and digestibility of
triticale and other small grain forages1) U.R. BISHNOI and G.A. PATEL2) Regardless of similarity in growing environment and stage of growth, the dry matter composition and digestibility of a plant can be greatly influenced by its genetic constitution. Triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) (a wheat-rye amphiploid) has the potential of being alternative source of winter grazing in areas having mild winters, although it was developed as a food grain crop. There are several agronomically promising triticale cultivars developed by plant breeders (5, 6, 8) that are available for use. The potential of using triticale as a supplemental forage (3), silage (2) or grain (7, 8) has been studied ; but work on its agronomic performance and forage digestibility is needed. The grain and forage production capabilities of rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) oats (Avena sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) have been discussed (9) ; however, information concerning the capabilities of triticale is limited (1, 3). BROWN and ALMODARES (3) reported that triticale cultivars produced as much forage as oats and wheat but less than Athens Abruzzi rye. They also reported that cell wall content of triticale cultivars was lower than rye and that crude protein content of triticale forage was similar to rye, wheat and oats. BARNETT et al. (1) concluded that yields of most initially developed triticale cultivars were not comparable to rye in North Florida ; but they conceded that some of the more recently developed cultivars were narrowing the gap. From clipping experiments in Southern Kansas, SAPRA et al. (8) reported that the forage productivity of triticales were equal to wheat, barley and rye with triticale producing forage few weeks later in the spring than wheat. The experiments reported here were designed to compare forage and grain yields and forage digestibility data on a number of triticale cultivars with the better and well adapted cultivars of rye, wheat, oats and barley. Materials and Methods Seven triticale cultivars ; '6TA 131', '6TA 298' developed by Jenkins Research Foundation, (Salinas, California), 'AM 2149', 'AM 2855', 'AM 2870', 'AM 3760', 'AM 3761' (developed at Alabama A&M University) and one adapted cultivar each of what ; 'Arthur', rye ; 'Bonel', 'barley ; 'Barsoy' and oats ; 'Coker 66-22' were planted on September 8 in 1975 and again on September 12, in 1976. These newly developed triticale cultivars are leafyforage types, disease resistant, and are better grain yielding types. The experiments were planted in 4-row plots 5 m long with rows 25 cm apart, on Decatur silty clay loam soil (Rhodic Paleudult) at Huntsville, Alabama. All cultivars were seeded at a rate of 70 kg/ ha in a randomized complete block design with five replications. 300 kg/ha of 13-13-13 fertilizer was applied before planting. The plots were clipped when plants were 18-20 cm tall. Plots were fertilized with 20 kg/ha of N as NH4NO3 after each clipping. After the last clipping, N at 25 kg/ha was top dressed in mid to late March of each year for grain production. A 4 m x 30 cm area from each plot was clipped four times (October 14, November 8, February 20 and March 14) in 1975 and three time (October 25, November 16 and March 10) in 1976, using hand clippers. After fresh forage weights were recorded, samples for dry matter determination were dried in a forced air dryer at 65C. Yields were calculated on an oven dry basis. From 1976 crop, a 15 gram sample of dry forage from first clipping of each plot was ground for quality analysis. Crude protein content, ash, crude fiber, ether and N-free extracts and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were determined according to the method outlined by Harris (4). Analyses of variance were performed and comparison of means were made by using the Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. |
| 1) Research reproted here was supported in part by the USDA, CSRS. Grant
No. 701-15-02B. 2) Associate professor and Research Technician, School of Agriculture, Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL 35762, U.S.A. |
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