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American hybrid maize for silage in the south of England Part I. The yield and composition with special reference to plant population and nitrogenous fertilizer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. E. Castle ,
A. S. Foot  and
S. J. Rowland
M. E. Castle
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, University of Reading
A. S. Foot
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, University of Reading
S. J. Rowland
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, University of Reading
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Extract

For three consecutive years American hybrid maize was grown, under replicated experimental conditions, in the south of England. Each season, the influence of the spacing of the plants and the use of nitrogenous fertilizer on the yield and composition of the crop and of its separate portions of leaf, stem and cob was investigated.

The growth of the maize, and especially its yield of dry matter, were influenced by the weather conditions during the season. The weight of fresh crop varied, with season and treatment, from 126 to 278 (averaging 209), and of dry matter from 20 to 70 (averaging 50) cwt./acre.

Thinning below the established plant populations of up to 30,000 plants per acre regularly reduced these yields. Top-dressing with sulphate of ammonia increased them in 1947 and 1949, but decreased them in 1948.

The yield of crude protein varied from 2.2 to 5.0, and of soluble carbohydrates from 12 to 46 cwt./acre. The top-dressing increased the protein content of all portions of the plant.

The cob contributed, on a weight basis, 46% of the fresh crop, 49% of its dry matter, 54% of its crude protein and 54% of its soluble carbohydrates. Details are given of the chemical composition of the whole plant, and of its separate leaf, cob and stem, for each season and treatment.

A later paper will deal with the making of silage from the maize crops and with the yield, composition and nutritive value of the silage.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 41 , Issue 3 , July 1951 , pp. 282 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1951

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References

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