The introduction and use of oat (avena sativa) cultivars in pakistan
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- Table 2. Green and dry matter yield of various oat cultivars at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during 1985-87 (average of two years)
- 7.3. Oats as an intercrop/companion crop
- Table 3. Green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of oats, barley and vetch during 1994-1997
- Table 4. Green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of various legumes and oats cultivars at Gilgit during 1993-1994
- Table 5. Effect of mixed planting on green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of lucerne, red clover, and oats in 1996-97
- 7.4 Effect of Harvesting Stages on Forage Yield and Quality
- Table 6. Green fodder yield, dry matter yield and crude protein contents of oats, barley and wheat under various cutting stages
7.2 Oats as a multi-cut crop: Compared with wheat and barley, the traditional sources of arable green winter fodder in Pakistan, oats provide multiple cuts, tiller profusely and yield more, and are of higher nutritional value. A major reason for this is that the standing oat crop can be harvested progressively, releasing land earlier than normal for follow-up crops or relay cropping. Late in the season, any remaining crop can be cut at the farmer’s discretion and dried as hay. This coincides with optimum soil moisture for land cultivation and planting of the following crop. This also allows small areas or peripheral lines on terraces to be saved for seed production. In many, but not all instances, more recently bred cultivars out-yield older ones (Dost et al. 1994). Although the utilization of oats as a multi-cut crop is a common practice in Pakistan, relatively little research data are available to aid the farmer in the selection of the best forage harvest schedule for the dual utilization of oats to allow one to obtain high forage yield, grain yield, and good forage quality. Bhatti et al. (1992) evaluated 13 oat cultivars under a two cut system at NARC, Islamabad during 1985-86 and 1986-87. The results of the study revealed that the cultivars PD2LV65 and S-81 produced 28.05 percent and 26.24 percent more green forage yield and 26.30 percent and 21.93 percent more dry matter yield respectively in two cuttings compared with the control variety. Thus oat cultivars PD2LV65 and S-81 were found suitable for multi-cut systems both under irrigated and rainfed conditions (Table 2). Table 2. Green and dry matter yield of various oat cultivars at the National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad during 1985-87 (average of two years)
Means followed by the same letters do not differ significantly at 5 % level of probability. Bhatti et al. (1992) 7.3. Oats as an intercrop/companion crop: In order to obtain early and good yields under small land holdings and severe winter conditions, compatible fodder crops of different types might be planted in mixture to produce high fodder yields and forage quality per unit area per season (Table 3). The leguminous dwarf fodders like berseem/vetch can be mixed with tall growing fodder like oats, rye grass, brassica etc. Oat + vetch and barley + vetch combinations produced on average 110 and 70 tons/ha of green material compared with 100 and 56 tons/ha pure oat and barley stands respectively within the 1400 to 2000 m altitude band (Table 3). Table 3. Green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of oats, barley and vetch during 1994-1997
Also a deep-rooted crop like Lucerne can be mixed with shallow rooted crops like oats, rye, barley or brassica. The annual fodder is usually planted in the space between the rows of perennial odder. This technology has been practically demonstrated to the farmers of the Northern Areas. There are many advantages of mixed planting over sole planting: - More than one crop per season per unit area - Weed control is easier - More fodder yield and better quality of fodder - Maintains and improves soil fertility. Oats were inter-cropped in winter active Lucerne and red clover planted in rows spaced at 30 cm apart at a number of locations. The mixture of Lucerne + oats, red clover +oats, and berseem + oats produced maximum green and dry matter yields as compared to the sole crops of either legume. The results are presented in Table 4. Using oat + berseem mixtures provided early and more fodder yields, increased milk production by 20 litres per animal per month on average, compared with traditional practices. At the same time, the demand for purchased concentrates was reduced by 20 kg/month per animal and milk production was extended by an extra two months (Table 4). Table 4. Green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of various legumes and oats cultivars at Gilgit during 1993-1994
To overcome the problems of fodder shortages due to limited land holdings and also to obtain maximum fodder per unit area per season, multiple cropping/ mixed planting techniques were tried. The details are presented below. Non-winter-dormant Lucerne cultivars (Sundar being the main one), introduced by the FAO project PAK/86/027, Gilgit, have been very successful (Table 5). In some cases they may suffer some frost damage at high altitudes, but they grow throughout the year and yield more than twice as much as the landraces in the low altitude double crop areas 2000 m and below. The new cultivars also provided maximum green feed in the critical December-January period when traditional crops are usually dormant and the area experiences a fodder deficit period. Table 5. Effect of mixed planting on green and dry matter yields (tons/ha) of lucerne, red clover, and oats in 1996-97
Pendleton (1957) reported that oats seeded at a low rate in 32 inch rows as a sole crop returned 190 bushels for each bushel seeded, compared to the 42 bushel return from a regular seeded 8 inch row spacing inter-seeded with clover. Also red clover inter-seeding reduced spring oat grain yields but increased the test weight. Reductions in oat yields due to the presence of clover increased as oat row width increased. The yields were reduced 7, 10, 14, and 18 percent respectively for the 8, 16, 24, and 32 inch row spacing. Reduced yields of oats were attributable to the companion clover and were 17 percent in 1954, 7 percent in 1955, and 12 percent in 1956. 7.4 Effect of Harvesting Stages on Forage Yield and Quality: In feeding ruminants the nutritive value of the roughage is important from the economical production viewpoint of meat and milk, the formulation of rations, the feeding and management of animals on pasture or on other forage systems for maximum meat and milk production, and accurate interpretation of performance records of animals fed rations containing large amounts of forage. The use of roughage as a feed for ruminants depends on the age of the animal and the purpose for which it is fed, the amount of roughage consumed, and its chemical composition, digestibility, balance of nutrients, and economy. It has long been recognised that the stage of maturity at which a plant is harvested is one of the most important factors influencing its chemical composition and nutritive value. Extensive reviews on the importance of roughage quality in ruminant rations have been made by Huffman (1939, 1953), Reid et al. (1959), Van Riper and Smith (1959), Sullivan and Garber (1947) and Stallcup et al. (1956) have reviewed the literature on the influences of the stage of maturity on the nutritive value of certain plants. Newman (1894) studied the influence of stage of maturity of rye on the chemical composition of the plant under Arkansas conditions. In the period from the boot to the blossom stage, crude protein decreased and crude fibre increased. Rosen et al. (1953) studied the crude protein of oat forage from November through March. Early growth in the autumn was much higher in protein than were later clippings. Thurman et al. (1957) have reported on the chemical composition of the oat plant from April through June. In general, crude fibre increased with advancing maturity and protein was reduced. Digestion trials were conducted on silages harvested at the boot, milk, and hard dough stages of maturity. The total digestible nutrients decreased from 71.3 to 58.8 percent from the boot to hard dough stages. Stallcup (1958) published a preliminary report on the change in composition of some forage plants at different stages of maturity. The apparent influence of ash and the buffering capacity of plants on rumen pH has been reviewed by Cason et al. (1954). The influence of lignin on digestibility has been reviewed and data on some forages have been published by Stallcup et al. (1956). The composition of crude fibre in several forage plants has been shown to vary widely by Stallcup (1958). Meyer et al. (1957) made detailed studies of the changes in composition and nutritional value of oat forage with stage of maturity under California conditions. Austenson and Law (1958) undertook an extensive review of literature pertaining to the effect of fertilizer on chemical composition of pasture herbage. Little information is available in Pakistan on forage yield and quality in oats, barley, and wheat crops harvested at various stages of maturity. Studies were thus carried out to determine an ideal maturity/harvesting stage to obtain a compromise between maximum forage yield and a reasonably good forage quality. Hussain et al. (1998) evaluated oats, barley, and wheat for forage yield and quality at nine maturity stages at NARC, Islamabad during 1990 –1992. It was observed that oats harvested at head emergence stage, and barley and wheat at 100 percent flowering stage produced maximum green forage yields. In all three crops the highest dry matter yield was recorded at early dough stage. The maximum crude protein content was recorded at 4-leaf harvesting stage repeatedly, whereas the minimum protein contents were recorded in the early dough stage. Oats, barley, and wheat harvested at boot stage provided a good compromise of green fodder yield, dry matter yield, and forage quality. At this stage a sufficient quantity of fodder with moderate forage quality was obtained (Table 6). Recent work on oats is reported by Hussain et al. (2001). Table 6. Green fodder yield, dry matter yield and crude protein contents of oats, barley and wheat under various cutting stages
Hussain et al 1998. CS 1 = Repeated cuttings at 4-leaf, CS 2 = Repeated cuttings at tillering CS 3 = Repeated cuttings at jointing, CS 4 = Repeated cuttings at boot CS 5 = Harvesting once at head emergence, CS 6 = Harvesting once at 50 percent flowering CS 7 = Harvesting once at 100 percent flowering, CS 8 = Harvesting once at early milk CS 9 = Harvesting once at early dough Hussain et al (1995) conducted trials during 1990 and 1991 to evaluate yield and quality of fodder at different harvesting stages on oats and barley (Table 7). It was concluded that oats harvested at booting stage and barley at 100 percent flowering stage produced maximum forage yield (79.45 and 63.10 tons/ha respectively). In oat and barley crops, the highest dry matter yield (15.54 and 13.75 tons/ha) respectively was recorded at early dough stage. In both the crops crude protein contents decreased with the advance in crop maturity. The maximum crude protein content (14.93 and 14.37 percent) in oats and barley respectively was observed when the crops were harvested repeatedly at the 4-leaf stages, whereas the minimum was at the early dough stage in both crops. Oats and barley harvested at booting stage proved better for reasonable forage yield (67.32 tons / ha), dry matter yields (11.66 tons/ha) and forage quality (crude protein 10.33 percent). At this stage a sufficient quantity of forage yield with moderate quality was obtained in both crops (Table 7). Directory: agp -> agpc agpc -> Reporting Officer agp -> Submitted by: g V pollard, slac-slcm date: 21 February 2006 II. Visit to Download 0.77 Mb. Share with your friends:
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