|
Results and Discussion
A. Forage and Grain Yields :
Forage and grain yields of seven triticale cultivars and one
each of wheat, rye, barley and oat are shown in Table
1. Triticale 'AM 2855', for both years, produced
significantly higher forage yield than other triticales or
the other small grain cultivars. This cultivar also
exhibited an upright type of growth during the winter
whereas triticales, '6TA 131' and '6TA 298' had prostrate
type of growth. These two cultivars produced a very profuse
growth in mid February to March and produced maximum forage
at the third and fourth clippings. Low forage yield by oats,
barley and wheat with spring type growth have been reported
by Brown and Almodares (3). They also found that winter
triticales produced more forage than other small grains at
the fourth clippings. AM 3760 and AM 3761 triticales, 'Coker
66-22' oats, 'Barsoy' barley, and 'Arthur' wheat had the
lower forage production during both growing seasons.
'Bonel' rye produced highest grain yield during both growing
seasons but triticale '6TA 131' and '6TA 298' in 1975 and
'6TA 131'., '6TA 298', 'AM 2149' and 'AM 2855' in 1976
exhibited similar yields. Among triticales 'AM 3760' had the
lowest grain yield in the 1976 growing seasons ; however,
the yield of 'Arthur' wheat was comparable with most
triticale cultivars. 'Barsoy' barley, during both growing
seasons and 'Cocker 66-22' oats in 1976 produced
significantly lower grain yields than 'Bonel' rye and the
triticale cultivars. In comparative study on the performance
of grain yields, Oplinger and Young (7) reported similar
differences among the spring type cultivars of triticale,
wheat, oats and rye. The exceptionally low yield from
barley, oats and wheat can be further explained by more
winter killing after several days of hard freeze
particularly during the 1976 winter which also affected the
yield of all the cultivars. Grain yields and stands of
barley, wheat and oats were also substantially lower by the
time of the fourth and third clippings in late March of 1975
and 1976, respectively.
B. Forage Digestibility:
Concentrations of ash, ether extract, crude fiber, crube
protein, nitrogen free extract and percent digestibility of
forage harvested at comparable stage of growth are given in
Table 2. Ash and crude fiber in
the forage of 'Bonel' rye was numerically highest. All
triticales except AM 3760 and AM 3761 were significantly
lower in ash concentration than rye. Five of the seven
triticale cultivars and 'Arthur' wheat exhibited
significantly higher ether extract than the other small
grains. Crude protein concentration of the triticale forage
was significantly higher than 'Barsoy' barley but was
similar to 'Arthur' wheat. Oats forage showed the highest
nitrogen free extract which was significantly higher than
wheat and triticale '6TA 131', 'AM 2149; and 'AM 3761'
cultivar. Very high ash concentration and low ether extract
(fat %) in rye, oats and barley forage may be attributed to
their low digestibility in comparison to wheat and triticale
cultivars. The total digestible nutrient (TDN) concentration
(88.6%) in forage of 'AM 2149' was highest among all
cultivars used in this study. The forage of other small
grains were significantly lower in TDN concentration than
most triticales.
Results of this study show that triticale produced as much
or more forage as rye, whereas rye produced higher grain
yields. Crude protein concentration of triticale forage at
comparable stage of growth was about 2 to 3 percent higher
than barley and rye. The total percent digestibility of
triticale was higher than that of barley, oats and rye.
|