FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY RESPONSE OF OAT (Avena sativa L.) CULTIVARS TO DIFFERENT SOWING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to determine forage yield and quality response of oat cultivars to different sowing techniques at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during winter season 2012. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with factorial arrangement replicated three (3) times. The net plot size was kept 5m x1.6 m. The treatments were three varieties viz., Kalash, F-414 and CK-1of oat sown with three different sowing techniques i.e. broadcast, 20 cm apart single rows and 30 cm apart double row strips.The growth, yield and quality parameters differed significantly (P<0.05) among the different cultivars and sowing techniques. The maximum values for germination counts m^-2 (226.43), plant population m^-2 (150.33), plant height (145.37 cm), number of tillers plant^-1 (7.93) , leaf area per tiller (163.47 cm²), fresh weight plant^-1 (28.46 g), dry weight plant^-1 (8.70 g), green forage yield (82.97 t ha^-1), dry matter  yield (13.40 t ha^-1), crude protein ( 10.27 %) , crude fibre (33.97%)  and total ash contents (9.93%) were observed in 20 cm apart single rows. Among the varieties, CK-1 also proved best for above mentioned parameters. Number of leaves per tiller was the only parameter not influenced significantly by sowing techniques