Forage growth, yield, and quality responses of two hybrids of Napier and sorghum at three cutting intervals in the southern province of Sri Lanka

Jothirathna, Hansini Harindrika; Seresinhe, Thakshala; Manawadu, Ariyathilaka; Weerasinghe, Piyathilak; Mahipala, Kumara

doi:10.2478/boku-2022-0001

Figures & Tables

Total rainfall during 2017 and 2018. Data extracted from the records of the meteorological station, Department of Agricultural Engineering, Mapalana, Kamburupitiya, Sri Lanka.Abbildung 1. Gesamtniederschlag in den Jahren 2017 und 2018 aus den Aufzeichnungen der Wetterstation, Abteilung für Agrartechnik, Mapalana, Kamburupitiya, Sri Lanka.

Effect of variety and cutting interval on ADM yield, CP content, and ACP yield of three varieties during the first (2017–2018) and the second (2018–2019) harvesting years, respectively. abcdefg Interactions means with different superscripts in bars are significantly different at (p > 0.05). ACP: annual crude protein, ADM: annual dry matter, CP: crude protein.Abbildung 2. Auswirkung von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf den jährlichen Ertrag an Trockenmasse (ADM), den Gehalt an Rohprotein (CP) und den jährlichen Ertrag an Rohprotein (ACP) von drei Sorten während des 1. (2017–2018) bzw. 2. (2018–2019) Erntejahres. Interakton mittel mit unterschiedlichen hochstellungen in takten unterscheiden sich signifikant bei (p > 0.05).

Interaction effects of variety and cutting interval on annual dry matter yield, dry matter content, crude protein, annual crude protein yield, and crude fiber contents during the second harvesting year (2018–2019) Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns show statistically significant differences (p < 0_05)_ V: variety, H: harvesting interval_Tabelle 7_ Interaktionseffekte von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf den jährlichen Trockenmasseertrag, den Trockenmassegehalt, das Rohprotein, den jährlichen Rohproteinertrag und den Rohfasergehalt im zweiten Erntejahr (2018–2019)_ Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0,05)_ V: Sorte, H: Ernteintervall_

	Variety	Cutting interval				p-Value
		4 weeks	6 weeks	8 weeks
Dry matter (%)	CO-3	11.67 ± 0.41^cd	13.01 ± 0.04^cd	15.21 ± 0.92^abc	V	0.000
	CO-4	12.86 ± 0.36^cd	13.84 ± 0.71^bcd	16.53 ± 2.03^ab	H	0.059
	Sugar graze	12.95 ± 0.09^d	15.24 ± 0.35^abc	18.88 ± 0.07^a	V × H	0.085

Annual dry matter yield (t/ha)	CO-3	13.63 ± 0.35^e	34.24 ± 0.65^c	40.87 ± 1.56^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	13.04 ± 0.72^e	26.92 ± 0.74^d	38.96 ± 1.75^b	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	3.24 ± 0.32^f	27.85 ± 0.82^d	44.35 ± 1.32^a	V × H	0.000

Crude protein (%)	CO-3	20.37 ± 0.45^b	14.15 ± 0.18^e	13.43 ± 0.11^e	V	0.000
	CO-4	20.25 ± 0.21^b	13.57 ± 0.23^f	12.78 ± 0.05^g	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	21.55 ± 0.32^a	19.23 ± 0.05^c	14.68 ± 0.14^d	V × H	0.000

Annual crude protein yield (t/ha)	CO-3	2.77 ± 0.34^de	4.84 ± 0.23^c	5.48 ± 0.13^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	2.64 ± 0.11^e	3.65 ± 0.12^d	4.98 ± 0.32^b	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	0.69 ± 0.18^f	5.35 ± 0.15^b	6.51 ± 0.15^a	V × H	0.000

Crude fiber (%)	CO-3	26.75 ± 0.23^d	28.65 ± 0.35^c	29.55 ± 0.19^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	26.75 ± 0.25^d	29.10 ± 0.19^c	31.25 ± 0.1^a	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	22.58 ± 0.05^e	26.26 ± 0.14^d	28.86 ± 0.15^c	V × H	0.000

Harvest dates for cutting treatments in 2017 and 2018_Tabelle 1_ Erntedaten für Schnittbehandlungen in den Jahren 2017 und 2018_

Cutting interval	Harvest dates	Number of cuts
4 weeks	2017: June 14, July 12, Aug 9, Sep 6, Oct 4, Nov 1, Nov 29, Dec 27	13
4 weeks	2018: Jan 24, Feb 21, Mar 21, Apr 18, May 16	13
6 weeks	2017: Jun 25, July 6, Sep 17, Oct 29, Dec 10	9
6 weeks	2018: Jan 21, Mar 4, Apr 15, May 27	9
8 weeks	2017: Jul 9, Sep 3, Oct 29, Dec 24,	6
8 weeks	2018: Feb 4, Apr 29	6

Effects of variety and cutting interval on annual dry matter yield, dry matter content, crude protein, annual crude protein yield, and crude fiber contents during the second harvesting year (2018–2019)_ Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns shows statistically significant differences (p < 0_05)_Tabelle 5_ Auswirkungen von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf die jährliche Trockenmasseausbeute, den Trockenmassegehalt, das Rohprotein, die jährliche Rohproteinausbeute und den Rohfasergehalt von drei Futtermitteln während des zweiten Erntejahres (2018–2019)_ Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0_05)_

Treatment	Dry matter (%)	Annual dry matter yield (t/ha)	Crude protein (%)	Annual crude protein yield (t/ha)	Crude fiber (%)
Variety
CO-3	13.29 ±1.03^b	29.58 ± 8.20^a	15.98 ± 2.20^b	4.14 ± 0.81^a	28.32 ± 0.82^b
CO-4	14.41 ± 1.10^ab	26.31 ± 7.49^b	15.53 ± 2.37^b	3.70 ± 0.79^a	29.03 ± 1.29^a
Sugar graze	15.69 ± 1.73^a	25.96 ± 11.20^b	18.49 ± 2.02^a	4.22 ± 0.17^a	25.89 ± 1.70^c
*Harvesting interval*
4 weeks	12.49 ± 0.41^c	10.78 ± 2.56^c	20.72 ± 0.82^a	1.89 ± 0.56^c	25.36 ± 1.39^c
6 weeks	14.03 ± 0.65^b	29.67 ± 2.30^b	15.65 ± 1.80^b	4.56 ± 0.51^b	28.19 ± 0.69^b
8 weeks	16.87 ± 1.07^a	39.39 ± 1.58^a	13.63 ± 0.56^c	5.61 ± 0.41^a	29.69 ± 0.86^a

Effects of variety and cutting interval on plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of tillers, number of leaves, and stem diameter of three forages at the first harvesting year_ Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns show statistically significant differences (p < 0_05)_Tabelle 2_ Auswirkungen von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf Pflanzenhöhe, Blattlänge, Blattbreite, Anzahl der Ackerbauern, Anzahl der Blätter und Stammdurchmesser von drei Futtermitteln_ Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0,05)_

Treatment	Plant height (cm)	Leaf length (cm)	Leaf width (cm)	No. of tillers	No. of leaves	Stem diameter (mm)
Variety
CO-3	163.0 ± 19.6^b	94.4 ± 6.1^a	3.6 ± 0.3^c	33.5 ± 0.4^a	254.8 ± 13.1^a	15.2 ± 1.7^a
CO-4	164.7 ± 28.3^ab	91.0 ± 6.4^b	3.9 ± 0.3^b	35.1 ± 0.6^a	266.8 ± 15.8^a	13.9 ± 1.0^b
Sugar graze	169.0 ± 25.9^a	66.6 ± 10.2^c	7.2 ± 1.3^a	0.0^b	8.5 ± 0.7^b	12.9 ± 0.9^c
*Harvesting interval*
4 weeks	118.3 ± 4.8^c	69.3 ± 11.5^c	3.6 ± 0.5^c	22.2± 0.4	157.8 ± 75.4^b	11.6 ± 0.3^b
6 weeks	177.8 ± 3.0^b	88.3 ± 7.3^b	5.3 ± 1.3^b	23.2 ± 0.5	188.8 ± 90.0^a	15.0 ± 0.9^a
8 weeks	200.6 ± 5.5^a	94.4 ± 7.4^a	5.7 ± 1.6^a	23.1 ± 1.1	183.5 ± 88.2^ab	15.0 ± 0.9^a

Interaction effects of variety and cutting interval on plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of tillers, number of leaves, and stem diameter of three forages at the first harvesting year_ Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns differ statistically significant (p < 0_05)_ V: Variety, H: Harvesting interval_Tabelle 3_ Interaktionseffekte von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf Pflanzenhöhe, Blattlänge, Blattbreite, Anzahl der Bestocker, Anzahl der Blätter und Stängeldurchmesser von drei Futtermitteln im ersten Erntejahr_ Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0,05)_ V: Sorte, H: Ernteintervall_

	Variety	Harvesting interval			p-Value
		4 weeks	6 weeks	8 weeks
Plant height	CO-3	125.0 ± 6.1^e	173.4 ± 4.2^d	190.6 ± 0.5^bc	V	0.038
	CO-4	109.0 ± 7.2^f	183.6 ± 3.8^cd	201.6 ± 2.1^ab	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	120.9 ± 3.2^e	176.5 ± 9.3^cd	209.6 ± 4.3^a	V × H	0.000

Leaf length	CO-3	82.7 ± 1.6^c	96.8 ± 1.5^ab	103.6 ± 3.7^a	V	0.000
	CO-4	78.7 ± 1.0^cd	94.5 ± 1.5^b	99.9 ± 1.2^ab	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	46.4 ± 1.5^e	73.7 ± 0.4^d	79.7 ± 1.5^cd	V × H	0.000

Leaf width	CO-3	3.0 ± 1.8^e	3.8 ± 0.0^d	4.0 ± 0.1^d	V	0.000
	CO-4	3.2 ± 0.2^e	4.1 ± 0.0^d	4.3 ± 0.0^cd	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	4.6 ± 0.6^c	8.0 ± 0.4^b	8.9 ± 0.0^a	V × H	0.000

No. of tillers	CO-3	32.8 ± 6.1^a	34.2 ± 7.1^a	33.4 ± 7.4^a	V	0.000
	CO-4	33.8 ± 7.9^a	35.5 ± 7.1^a	36.0 ± 6.6^a	H	0.672
	Sugar graze	0.0^b	0.0^b	0.0^b	V × H	0.969

No. of leaves	CO-3	229.4 ± 55.3^b	272.9 ± 56.6^ab	262.2 ±50.7^ab	V	0.000
	CO-4	237.0 ± 42.7^ab	284.4 ± 57.2^a	284.4 ± 57.2^a	H	0.002
	Sugar graze	7.1 ± 0.8^c	9.0 ± 0.5^c	9.3 ± 0.5^c	V × H	0.240

Stem diameter	CO-3	11.7 ± 0.5^d	16.5 ± 0.9^a	17.2 ± 0.9^a	V	0.000
	CO-4	12.0 ± 0.7^cd	15.0 ± 1.2^ab	14.8 ± 1.1^ab	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	11.0 ± 0.3^d	13.5 ± 1.2^bc	14.1 ± 1.3^bc	V × H	0.009

Interaction effects of variety and cutting interval on annual dry matter yield, dry matter content, crude protein, annual crude protein yield, and crude fiber contents during the first harvesting year (2017–2018)_ Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns shows statistically significant differences (p < 0_05)_ V: Variety, H: Harvesting interval_Tabelle 6_ Interaktionseffekte von Sorte und Schnittintervall auf den jährlichen Trockenmasseertrag, den Trockenmassegehalt, das Rohprotein, den jährlichen Rohproteinertrag und den Rohfasergehalt im ersten Erntejahr (2017–2018)_ Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0,05)_ V: Sorte, H: Ernteintervall_

	Variety	Cutting interval				p-Value
		4 weeks	6 weeks	8 weeks
Dry matter (%)	CO-3	11.67 ± 0.41^cd	13.01 ± 0.04^cd	15.21 ± 0.92^abc	V	0.000
	CO-4	12.86 ± 0.36^cd	13.84 ± 0.71^bcd	16.53 ± 2.03^ab	H	0.059
	Sugar graze	12.95 ± 0.09^d	15.24 ± 0.35^abc	18.88 ± 0.07^a	V × H	0.085

Annual dry matter yield (t/ha)	CO-3	13.63 ± 0.35^e	34.24 ± 0.65^c	40.87 ± 1.56^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	13.04 ± 0.72^e	26.92 ± 0.74^d	38.96 ± 1.75^b	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	3.24 ± 0.32^f	27.85 ± 0.82^d	44.35 ± 1.32^a	V × H	0.000

Crude protein (%)	CO-3	20.37 ± 0.45^b	14.15 ± 0.18^e	13.43 ± 0.11^e	V	0.000
	CO-4	20.25 ± 0.21^b	13.57 ± 0.23^f	12.78 ± 0.05^g	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	21.55 ± 0.32^a	19.23 ± 0.05^c	14.68 ± 0.14^d	V × H	0.000

Annual crude protein yield (t/ha)	CO-3	2.77 ± 0.34^de	4.84 ± 0.23^c	5.48 ± 0.13^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	2.64 ± 0.11^e	3.65 ± 0.12^d	4.98 ± 0.32^b	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	0.69 ± 0.18^f	5.35 ± 0.15^b	6.51 ± 0.15^a	V × H	0.000

Crude fiber (%)	CO-3	26.75 ± 0.23^d	28.65 ± 0.35^c	29.55 ± 0.19^b	V	0.000
	CO-4	26.75 ± 0.25^d	29.10 ± 0.19^c	31.25 ± 0.1^a	H	0.000
	Sugar graze	22.58 ± 0.05^e	26.26 ± 0.14^d	28.86 ± 0.15^c	V × H	0.000

Effects of variety and cutting interval on annual dry matter yield, dry matter content, crude protein, annual crude protein yield, and crude fiber contents during the first harvesting year (2017–2018)_ Means ± standard error followed by different letters within columns differ statistically significant (p < 0_05)_Tabelle 4_ Auswirkungen der Sorte und des Schnittintervalls auf die jährliche Trockenmasseausbeute, den Trockenmassegehalt, das Rohprotein, die jährliche Rohproteinausbeute und den Rohfasergehalt von drei Futtermitteln (2017–2018) Mittelwerte ± Standardfehler, gefolgt von unterschiedlichen Buchstaben in den Spalten, unterscheiden sich statistisch signifikant (p < 0,05)_

Treatment	Dry matter (%)	Annual dry matter yield (t/ha)	Crude protein (%)	Annual crude protein yield (t/ha)	Crude fiber (%)
Variety
CO-3	14.25 ± 0.91^b	29.30 ± 8.08^a	15.89 ± 2.16^b	4.31 ± 0.79^a	28.88 ± 0.84^b
CO-4	15.15 ± 1.39^ab	26.02 ± 7.21^b	15.96 ± 2.09^b	3.87 ± 0.71^a	29.45 ± 1.19^a
Sugar graze	15.73 ± 2.09^a	24.68 ± 11.61^b	18.22 ± 1.73^a	4.10 ± 0.13^a	25.87 ± 2.02^c
*Harvesting interval*
4 weeks	12.66 ± 0.30^c	10.04 ± 3.40^c	20.35 ± 0.22^a	2.02.82 ± 0.68^c	25.62 ± 1.79^c
6 weeks	14.78 ± 0.61^b	29.32 ± 2.22^b	15.86 ± 1.54^b	4.62.26 ± 0.41^b	28.36 ± 0.82^b
8 weeks	17.69 ± 0.96^a	40.63 ± 1.42^a	13.86 ± 0.54^c	5.64.47 ± 0.39^a	30.22 ± 0.80^a

Forage growth, yield, and quality responses of two hybrids of Napier and sorghum at three cutting intervals in the southern province of Sri Lanka

Figures & Tables

Figure 1

Figure 2

Harvest dates for cutting treatments in 2017 and 2018_Tabelle 1_ Erntedaten für Schnittbehandlungen in den Jahren 2017 und 2018_

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