Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Forage quality of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) cultivars at different phenological stages in Karaj region, Iran

Author(s):

Sadegh Mohajer ^1*, Majid Valipoor Dastenai ², Rosna Mat Taha ¹

Recieved Date: 2010-12-20, Accepted Date: 2011-03-27

Abstract:

The determination of forage quality is one of the most important factors essential to appropriate field management. The most important factor, effective on forage quality, is the growth stage; by studying on phonological stages of the forage, suitable grazing time can be determined. Since different cultivars of forage crops have different feed qualities in each of their growth stages, for the purpose of investigation of genetic diversity of forage yields and their quantitative characters, we studied three foxtail millet cultivars, namely KFM1, KFM6 and KFM9 in three phonological stages including vegetative growth stage, flowering stage and seeding stage by use of a factorial experimental design with a complete block basic design with 3 replications in Karaj, Iran during 2008-9. Except for Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and crude fibre percentage, the difference between the other feed quality indices as well as wet and dry yields, among the different cultivars and the three growth phases of the cultivars, were significant (P<0.01). Further, the interaction effect between different cultivars and also the phonological growth stages was statistically significant only in connection with wet and dry yield. Proportional to the development of growth stages, approximately in all cultivars, the crude protein percentage and digestive dry material percentage are decreased and the fibre content increased. In general, according to the measured indices, KFM1 had the highest feed quality and, taking into account its appropriate feed quality, was selected as the outstanding cultivar. The vegetative growth stage (1^st phonological stage), from the point of view of feed quality indices, was higher than the other two stages (except for water soluble carbohydrates); but, considering relatively small forage energy difference between stages 1^st and 2^nd phonological stages, and also higher production and readiness of the fields (ranges) for grazing, the 2^nd phonological stage (flowering stage) was selected as the best time for grazing (by use of grazing systems).

Keywords:

Foxtail millet, forage yield, forage digestibility percent, crude protein percent, growth stage

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 304-308

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :