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The relationship between yield and digestibility in spring varieties of barley, oats and wheat after ear emergence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. Q. Cannell
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
H. T. Jobson
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Summary

The pattern of dry matter (D.M.) yield, digestibility and nitrogen (N) content of two contrasted grain:straw (G/S) ratio varieties each of barley, oats and wheat grown at three levels of nitrogen was measured over the 30 days after ear emergence, D.M. yield rose with time, while digestibilityand N content declined. Although the D.M. yield was highest in the oat variety, Maelor, one barley variety, Deba Abed, had the highest digestibility and a similar yield of digestible dry matter. Wheat was lowest yielding. The low G/S varieties of wheat and oats had higher yields of digestible D.M., but the high G/S variety, Deba Abed, was the higher yielding barley. Yield of digestible D.M. increased with increasing N fertilizer, due to the increased D.M. yield.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

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