Njamba, Fredrick N. (1998) Evaluation of Sorghum [Sorghum b7e%r (L.) Moench] Genotypes for Forage Quality. Masters thesis, University of Zambia.
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PDF (Evaluation of Sorghum [Sorghum b7e%r (L.) Moench] Genotypes for Forage Quality)
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Abstract
A field experiment was carried out during the 1994/95 growing season at the Zamb1a Seed Company (ZAMSEEO) t-arm (located at longitude 28" 18' E and latitude 15" 19' S) to evaluate 12 selected sorghum genotypes for forage/silage Y1eld and quality; and to determine the effect of growth stages at harvest on the y 1 e 1 d and qua 11 ty of the forage/ s i 1 age. The sorghum genotypes studied were: forage sorghums (FSH-6, FSH-7, FSH-20, FSH-22, FSH- 30 and FSH-57) and grain (dual purpose) sorghums (MMSH-1040, MMSH-1252, MMSH-1270, MMSH-1272, MMSH-1276 and S1ma), while the growth stages were vegetative, reproductive and grain f111ing. A split-plot design, w1th 4 rep11cations, in small plots (measur1ng 5m x 3m), was used, with the growth stage at harvest as main plots and sorghum genotypes as sub-plots. Tra1ts measured 1ncluded plant he1ght (HT), leaf to stem (L:S) rat10, green forage yield (GFY), dry matter content (OM%), dry matter yield (OMY), crude prote1n content (CP%), crude prote1n Y1eld (CPY), acid detergent fibre (AOF), aC1d detergent 11gn1n (AOL) and hydrocyan1c aC1d (HCN). The growth stages had a s1gn1f1cant effect on all the parameters such that OM content, OM Y1e1d, AOF and AOL 1ncreased where as CP content, L:S ratio and HCN content declined with maturity. There were great variations among genotypes w1th respect to the traits measured except CP content of forage. It was generally observed that gra1n (dual) sorghums were, on average, superior to forage sorghum hybrids in most of the yield and quality characteristics stud1ed. Interactions between sorghum genotypes and growth stage ex 1 sted for most traits. Consequently, for use of sorghum as silage, most of the genotypes studied could be harvested at the grain filling (soft dough) stage to achleve hlgh yields wlthout adversely affectlng the quality of the silage. For use as forage, however, most of the graln sorghums are better harvested at the soft dough stage, where as most of the forage sorghums should be harvested at mld flowerlng ln order to achleve hlgh Ylelds while maintaining a relatively high quallty. Although no slngle genotype was meritorlOUS for all the parameters studied, MMSH-1276, MMSH-1040, MMSH-1252, Sima, FSH-6, FSH-20, MMSH-1270 and MMSH-1272 were found to be most promising for a good number of traits.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Geoffrey Obatsa |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Feb 2019 11:28 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Feb 2019 11:28 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/9009 |
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