Productivity and quality of oat (Avena sativa) in relation to cutting management and nitrogen levels

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive winter (rabi) seasons of 2003-04 and 2004-05 to study the effect of cutting management and nitrogen levels on quality of oat (Avena sativa L.) at Pantnagar. Pooled results revealed that single cut at 50% flowering recorded significantly higher dry-matter (8.05 tlha) and digestible dry-matter yields (5.0 tlha), dry-matter content (20.85%), acid-detergent fibre (48.14%), neutral deter- gent fibre (59.56%) and hemicellulose content (23.02%) than double-cutting system. But total crude-protein yield (805 kglha), crude-protein content at both the cuts (1 8.70 and 10.55% respectively), digestibility (76.31 %), ash (1 0.44%) and cell contents (56.79%) at the first cut were significantly higher when the first cut was taken at 50 days after sowing and the second cut at 50% flowering. However, at second cut, digestibility (66.72%), ash (10.34%) and cell contents (43.47%) were statistically more when the first cut was taken at 60 days after sowing and the second cut at 50% flowering. Application of 120 kg Nlha recorded significantly higher dry-matter and di- gestible dry-matter yields; however, significant increase in crude-protein yield was observed up to 160 kg Nlha. The dry-matter content, digestibility and cell content decreased with successive increase in N level from 0 to 160 kglha, whereas the reverse trend was noticed for crude-protein content, acid-detergent fibre, neutral detergent fi- bre and hemicellulose content.