engleski

Yield and quality of forage sorghum and different amaranth species (Amaranthus spp.) biomass

The objective of investigations carried out on the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, in 2002, 2003 and 2004 was to compare green mass and dry matter yields of forage sorghum and amaranth, and the nutritional value of these two crops at several development stages. Investigations included two amaranth cultivars: 1008 (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) and Koniz (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. x Amaranthus hybridus L.), and forage sorghum, hybrid Grazer N (Sorghum bicolor x S. sudanense). In all three trial years, forage sorghum gave the highest green mass and dry matter yield at the tasselling stage. In 2003, also amaranth, cultivar 1008, gave a high green mass yield at the flowering, which was in the same rank as forage sorghum. Decline of biomass quality was observed at later development stages due to a decrease in the concentration of crude and digestible proteins and an increase in NDF (neutral detergent fibre) and ADF (acid detergent fibre) concentrations. High quality of amaranth biomass was determined. Higher concentrations of crude and digestible proteins were found in amaranth aboveground biomass compared to forage sorghum while sorghum had a higher NDF concentration.

sorghum; amaranth; dry matter yield; fodder quality

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