GREEN FODDER YIELD AND QUALITY OF DUAL PURPOSE BARLEY (HORDEUM VULGARE L.) AS AFFECTED BY LEVELS AND SCHEDULE OF NITROGEN
K. K. CHOUDHARY, N. S. YADAVA, S. L. YADAV* AND R. C. JAT
College of Agriculture,
Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner (Rajasthan), India
(Email: arora15@rediffmail.com)
(Received: 14 March 2014; Accepted: 27 March 2014)
SUMMARY
A field study was conducted during rabi season 2012-13 at Research Farm of College of Agriculture, S.K. Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner. Treatments comprised three levels of nitrogen (60, 90 and 120 kg/ha) and five schedules of nitrogen application viz., ½ basal (B) + ½ immediate after cutting for green fodder (IAC), ½ B + ¼ IAC + ¼ at next irrigation after cut (NIAC), ⅓ B + ⅓ IAC + ⅓ NIAC, ⅓ B + ⅔ IAC and ⅔ B + ⅓ IAC with four replication in randomized block design. Response in terms of green fodder yield obtained per kg of nitrogen applied (PFPn) sharply declined beyond 30 kg N/ha. In terms of GFY, significant response of basal application of nitrogen was noticed up to 40 kg N/ha (124.25 q/ha). In case of DMY, Significant positive response was noticed only up to 30 kg N/ha. NDF, ADF and lignin content remained unaffected due to nitrogen application. The crude fat and mineral contents exhibited significant and positive response up to 30 kg N/ha. Crude protein content tended to increase up to 80 kg N/ha but beyond 30 kg N/ha only 60 and 80 kg N/ha produced significant and positive effect on CP content.
Key words : Dual purpose barley, green fodder yield and Nitrogen schedule.