The introduction and use of oat (avena sativa) cultivars in pakistan
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- 7.10. Date of sowing
- Table 17. Green fodder yield of oats cv. Scot under various sowing dates at different locations during 1999 Sowing date
- ARI, Sariab 20-9-1995
- 8. OAT SEED PRODUCTION
- Table 18. Seed of improved oat cultivars produced (tons) in Pakistan
- 9. CONCLUSIONS
- 10. REFERENCES
Berdahl and Harvey (1980) evaluated twenty five barley (Hordeum vulgare and Hordeum distichum L.) and twenty five oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes with a wide range of genetic diversity on summer fallowed and stubble land for 3 years. It was concluded that genotype x cropping practice interaction for yield was not significant for either barley or oats. Exclusive use of summer fallow land in performance testing of barley and oats would not preclude identification of high yielding genotypes for stubble cropping. Barley genotypes that were not high yielding on both cropping practices were found not to have been consistently high yielding across environments in regional cooperative tests. 7.10. Date of sowing: Supply of fodder mainly depends on the time of planting. The majority of farmers usually try to cultivate forage crops as early as possible to ensure early fodder availability for livestock. In underdeveloped countries where fodder is very scarce, the time of fodder availability during deficit or lean periods is more important than the total quantity of fodder available. The recommended planting season for forage oats in the plains areas of Pakistan is from October 15 to November 15. However, variations in planting dates depend on particular needs of the farmers for their livestock, size and composition of herd, size of land holdings, time of rainfall, availability of fallow land and irrigation water. In order to assess suitable time for maximum forage yields and time of forage availability, sowing date trials on high fodder yielding oats cultivar Scot were conducted at different research institutes throughout the country under various environments. The results obtained are presented in Table 17.
Both at NARC, Islamabad and ARI, Tandojam, Sind, the October 20 planting date, and at ARI, Sariab, November 20 planting date, provided maximum forage yields during December-January, the fodder deficit periods throughout Pakistan. The September planted crop also provided acceptable yields during the month of November at all the trial sites. Although at this time, late planted maize, millet, and sorghum crops produce surplus quantities of fodder, it is very fibrous and low in quality as compared to the green oat forage. The sowing date trials clearly indicated that time of fodder availability is directly correlated with the planting time and some management factors like holding size, moisture availability, genetic potential of crop etc. Smith (1975) found that high herbage concentrations of in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM) and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) generally resulted when cool temperature (21/150 C) prevailed after initial panicle emergence, whereas high crude protein (CP) and elemental concentrations generally resulted when hot temperatures (32/260 C) prevailed after initial panicle emergence. In general, yields (g/pot) of dry matter (DM), in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM), total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC), crude protein (CP), and fat and ash were influenced more by temperature before than after initial panicle emergence. However, yields of DM, IVDDM, and TNC were reduced markedly by the change from cool temperature (21/150 C) to warm temperature (27/210 C) to hot temperature (32/260 C) and were increased by the change from hot temperature to cool temperature. Several investigators (Wiggans 1956; Stoskopf et al. 1966) have shown that the herbage and grain yields of spring oats (Avena sativa L.) are reduced when late planting delays the later growth stages to the higher temperatures of summer. The temperature has been shown to influence dry matter yields and growth rates (Wiggans 1956; Stoskopf et al. 1966; Fulton and Findlay; 1966; Fulton 1968; Smith 1975). Fulton and Findlay (1966) found that N, P, and K percentages in oat straw and grain generally were increased by growth at increased air temperatures. Spring oat (Avena sativa L.) is a cool season crop that can be severely damaged by high temperatures during grain filling (Wiggans 1956; Coffman and Frey, 1961). Colville and Frey (1987) observed that genotypic differences occurred for plant height, grain yield, and test weight for most genotypes but the differences were not associated with maturity differences. Significant variation occurred across sowing dates for plant height, grain yield, and test weight for most genotypes. Coffman (1954) stated that oats are very responsive to temperature during plant development. Taylor (1967) defined five stages of oat development as being germination, initiation of tillers, initiation of floral primordia, anthesis, and grain fill. He found that anthesis was generally the stage most affected by high temperature. Taylor (1967) and Taylor and Frey (1972) found that duration from germination to any other stage of development depended primarily on temperature effects on growth rate. However, interactions between temperature, genotype, and growth stage occurred. Heat unit summation studies on oats (Coffman and Frey, 1961) have shown that associations occur between growing season temperature and grain yield, and between temperature and optimal time for sowing. Wiggans (1956) observed that oats planted after early May in Iowa required fewer heat units to reach maturity than did that sown earlier. The problem of providing feed to livestock in winter, because of the low temperatures that limit pasture growth in temperate areas, has been the focus and main interest of many investigators. Studies reported in the literature include: Farmers in high rainfall areas in Australia plant dual-purpose cereals as early in autumn as rainfall permits, so that plants are able to grow through a greater part of the vegetative phase in moderate temperature before winter reduces the growth rate. This will build up some bulk in the crop for grazing and give a useful winter feed resource. Fitzsimmons (1978) stated that for N.S.W, time of sowing should be one to three months earlier than for crops sown for grain only, so the plants will be well advanced before the onset of winter. Early sowing which may extend from late February to early May, allows strategic grazing of the crop, thus avoiding grain reduction from lodging (Mengersen, (1972). In addition, early sown crops in Tasmania may be less affected by barley yellow Dwarf Virus disease (Tilt, 1966), although early sowings may catch autumn aphid flights and have more infection than crops sown in May-June under management for only grain yield only (Mendham, personal communication). On the other hand, autumn sown dual-purpose cereals are usually subjected to periods of water logging, cold conditions and frost during the winter months, and cultivars must be able to withstand the damaged conditions (Russel, personal communications). Gardner (1986) recommended the use of an appropriate cultivar, which enables earlier sowing. This would be of a prostrate growth habit and later in maturity. It should remain vegetative during the winter but should be rapid in its period of jointing (stem elongation) which should take place after the risk of water logging has passed, and hence will be of a later maturity. Moreover, early sowing, by allowing a longer duration of the tillering phase, gives the crop a better opportunity to compensate for missing plants by tillering where the crop has been drilled unevenly or where large gaps in the rows exist. Fund (1974), cited by Garcia del Moral et al. (1984) stated that it is not easy to deduce what may cause the effects because both temperature and day length vary with the sowing date. Gill et al., (1977) reported that the highest yields were obtained by sowing from mid October to early November. The cultivar x sowing date interaction was significant. Crowder (1953) found that forage produced by oats sown in August and September could have been grazed in late October while oats sown in October would not have furnished grazing until spring. Forage yields were higher following the September planting date as compared to the August planting date. Early sown Victorians oats were severely damaged by Helminthosporium victoriae; however, plant stands of other varieties also were reduced, which indicated that other factors influenced germination and seedling establishment of early sown oats. Autumn and winter oat forage contained from 25 to 30 percent crude protein but the protein content of spring forage dropped to 15 percent. Grain and straw yield were significantly lowered by clipping as compared with no clipping. Clipping after March 1st drastically lowered the grain yields; however, the value of forage obtained should compensate for the loss of grain. Oats are used more extensively than the other grains in the southeast of USA for winter grazing. Seasonal conditions during and after grazing greatly influence vegetative growth in the autumn and following spring (Burton et al. 1952, Crowder et al. 1953, Hall and Reyes 1944). Subsequent grain yields are also influenced by the intensity of grazing and its duration as shown by Cutler et al. 1949, and Hubbard and Harper (1949) who found that grain yields were correlated with yearly environmental conditions and severity of clipping. Reduction in height of mature plants was correlated with the date at which clipping was terminated in the spring. Clipping to March 25th in Oklahoma reduced yields of certain cereals, exceptions being oats and barley (Finnell 1929, Jones et al. 1944, Staten and Heller, 1946), but Stansel et al. (1937) reported that in Texas oat yields were increased by grazing to March 15th Moderate grazing in the southern wheat belt did not reduce grain yields when conditions were favourable for rank growth (Georgeson et al. 1896, Roener 1943). Washko (1947) stated that grazing small grains with sheep during autumn and spring reduced plant tillering and mature plant height. Grazing also delayed ripening from 4 to 10 days and reduced grain yields 23 to 47 percent. 8. OAT SEED PRODUCTION The introduction of improved cultivars is one of the quickest methods of improving and enhancing yields of all crops. Soon after identification of potential varieties, seed bulking, its distribution and availability to the common farmers is one of the important steps in the successful cultivation of improved varieties. Unfortunately, unlike grain crops, all improved cultivars of forages are harvested for forage well before seed formation. Also, genetically all the forage cultivars are usually poor seed producers. Therefore, all the efforts of introduction, selection, identification, and cultivation of improved forages would go in vain or be lost if sufficient quantities of seed are not produced and made available to farmers. In Pakistan, most of the seed of improved forage and grain crops is usually multiplied both by private seed companies, Government Research and Extension Centres and to a limited extent by commercial growers. The maximum quantities of improved oats varieties are multiplied by the Fodder Research Programme, NARC, Islamabad (almost sufficient for planting around 500 hectares). The seed thus bulked is sold to farmers, commercial growers, both Government and private dairy farms and other agencies/organizations interested in improved oat fodder production and development. For the last several years, the seed of improved oats cultivars has also been sold to the FAO Afghan Programme for its multiplication and distribution in Afghanistan. The details of total quantities of improved oat cultivars multiplied and sold by Fodder Research Programme, NARC, Islamabad, commercial growers, and other Government and Private seed companies is presented in Table 18.
Table 18 clearly indicates a steady increase in the production of improved seed and still the demand for improved seed is much higher than the quantities of seed being multiplied by various sources (as with 50 tons of oat seed only about 500 hectares of land can be sown). All the seed of improved varieties of fodder oats produced is used for further increase and distribution/selling to various interested oat fodder growers of the area. 9. CONCLUSIONS Livestock have always been one of the most important parts of the agricultural system in Pakistan. Lack of quality fodder is one of the major constraints limiting livestock production in the country. At present Pakistan is facing a situation where there is insufficient quantity as well as quality of fodder and consequently many animals are underfed, weak, thin, and therefore, less productive. There is a considerable need for high quality fodder if better returns are to be obtained from improved animal breeds. Year-round supply of nutritious feed is a prerequisite to improve milk production from stalled cows in the villages and around, as well as in big cities throughout Pakistan. Technical development to improve forage production and supplies could be of immense benefit to the health and prosperity of the people of Pakistan. Oats has for the last several years proved to be a potential winter forage crop throughout Pakistan, particularly around the big cities and especially in the high altitude temperate northern regions. Cultivation of oats assures production of maximum quantities of early and nutritious forage supplies in the fodder deficit periods during freezing temperatures in the winter season. It is also one of the only major sources of green forage available in winter for the starving cattle. It also helps in the maintenance of body weights, improves the health, and also enhances milk yields of milking cattle which otherwise decline sharply during the winter forage lean periods. It is therefore, safe to claim that the oats crop has brought a winter forage green revolution in Pakistan. Over the past two decades selected oat cultivars from introduced germplasm have had a significant impact in enhancing livestock feed and hence, on people living in resource poor areas of Pakistan. Fodder oats have helped significantly to alleviate livestock starvation and improve nutrition both of animals and human population. The recent significant impact of new oat cultivars on the availability of livestock feed and therefore, on farmers’ income in resource poor areas of Pakistan, has stimulated the belief that even more can and should be done both to make existing cultivars more widely available through extensive bulking and to introduce new adapted oats cultivars and other improved fodder crop varieties to resource-poor regions through continuous on-farm evaluation with the help and cooperation of the national forage research programme, extension services, private seed companies and NGOs. 10. REFERENCES Abdul – Rahman, M.S., Mendham, N.J. and Russell, J. (1985). A comparison of brassica forage crops with oats. Proc. 3rd Aust. Agron. Conf. Hobart, Tasmania. Australia. Anderson, W.K. (1985). Production of green feed and grain from grazed barley in Northern Syria. Field Crops Res. 10:57-75. Anonymous, (1984). The value of dual-purpose crops. Rural Res. CSIRO, Australia, 121:4-7. Anonymous, (1986). Wheat for the high rainfall zone. Rural Res. CSIRO, Australia, 130:4-10. Archer, K.A. (1969). The potential value of oats as winter forage for sheep on the Northern tableland of N.S.W., M. Rur. Sci. Thesis, Uni. of New England, Australia. Austenson, H. M, and A. G. Law. (1958). Effect of fertilizers on chemical composition of pasturage. Was. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 591. Bauer, A., R.A. Young and J.L. Ozbun (1965). Effects of moisture and fertilizer on yields of spring wheat and barley. Agron. J. 57:354-356. Berdahl, J. D. and Harvey, B. L. (1980). Performance of barley and oat genotypes on summer fallowed and stubble land. Can. J. Plant Sci. 60: 371-377. Berry, R. A. (1920). Composition and properties of oat grain and straw. J. Agr. Sci. 10:359-414. Bhatti, M.B., Hussain, A. and Mohamamd, D. 1992. Fodder production potential of different oat cultivars under two cut system. Pakistan Journal of Agriculture Research 13(2):184-190 Bishnoi, U.R. (1980). Effect of seeding rates and row spacing on forage and grain production of triticale, wheat, and rye. Crop Sci. 20:107-108.value of cereal silage for lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 42:168. Blackman, G. E. (1936). The influence of temperature and available nitrogen supply on the growth of pasture in the spring. J. Agr. Sci. 26:620-647. Bolsen, K.K., L. L. Berger, K.L. Conway and J. G. Riley. (1976). Wheat, barley, and corn silage for growing steers and lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 42:185. Briggs, D.E. (1978). Barley. Champman and Hall. London. 228 pp. Brinkman, M.A. and Rho, Y.D. (1984). Responses of three oat cultivars to N fertilizer. Crop Sci. 24:973-977. Brown, C.W. (1975). Oats. In: A. Lazenby and E.M. Matheson (ed.) Australian field crops. Angus and Robertson Publishers, Sydney. Pp. 481-507. Brundage, A. L. and W. J. Sweetman. (1967). Comparative feeding value of oat-pea forages ensiled at two stages of maturity. J. Dairy Sci. 50:696. Burton, G. W., Parham, S.A., Southwell, B.L. and Stephens, J.L. (1952). Winter grazing in Georgia Coastal Plains. Ga. Coastal Plain Exp. Sta. Bul. 47. Revised August. 1952. Cannon, D.J., Sharkey, M.J. and Stewart, P.T. (1978). An evaluation of grazing oats for grain and wool production in north-eastern Victoria. Aust. J. Expt. Agric. Anim. Husb. 18:202-208. Cason, J.L., E. S. Ruby, and O. T. Stallcup. (1954). The influence of the ash content of the rumen ingesta on the hydrogen ion concentration in the Bovin rumen. J. Nutrition. 52:457. Chaudhary, M.H. and Mukhtar, M.A. (1985). Performance of three new high fodder yielding varieties of oats, Pakistan I. Agric. Res. 6: 218-222. Coffman, F.A. (1954). Temperature- a potent factor in oat adaptation. Agron. Abstr. American Society of Agronomy. Madison. WI. p. 66. 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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