S. V. DAMAME*, H. P. PARDESHI AND A. B. TAMBE
AICRP on Forage Crops and Utilization
Mahatma PhuleKrishiVidyapeeth, Rahuri-413722 (Maharashtra), India
*(e-mail:shivajidamame@gmail.com)
(Received : 11 August 2020; Accepted : 20 September 2020)
SUMMARY
A field experiment was carried out at AICRP on Forage Crops & Utilization, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) during Rabi, 2016-2019. Silica was applied in soil to high yielding but lodging susceptible oat cultivar Phule Harita (RO-19) to maximize seed yield. The main plot treatments were application silica @ 0, 200, 300 and 400 kg/ha and sub plot treatments of cutting managements i.e. No cutting, cutting at 45 and 55 days after sowing. The forage quality parameters such as crude protein, acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, lignin, silica, digestibility dry matter yield and yield characters, straw and seed yield were increased with elevated levels of silica application. Whereas, in vitro dry matter digestibility and lodging per cent were decreased with increased level of Si application. The application of silicon dioxide @ 300 kg/ha and cutting at 45 DAS was recorded significantly superior digestibility dry matter yield with minimal lodging by enhancing lignin content of oat for higher seed production.
Key words:Forage oat, silica, cutting management, forage quality