Chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of bajra (Pennisetum typhoides) as affected by nitrogen fertilization and stage of maturity
Singh, K.; Das, B.; Arora, S.K.
Haryana Agricultural University Journal of Research 4(1): 6-12
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0379-4008 Accession: 000313588
N fertilizer was applied to fields of 2 varieties of bajra (Pennisetum typoides) at rates of 0, 30, 60 or 90 kg N/ha; half the N was applied as a basal dose and half as topdressing 25 days after sowing. Samples of the bajra were collected at weekly intervals, from 6 weeks after sowing to the end of the 9th week. The samples were dried at 60 deg C and ground through a 2-mm screen. Chemical composition and digestibility of DM in vitro were estimated. There were slight differences in composition between the 2 bajra varieties, but they changed in the same way. DM content increased with increasing maturity. Up to the 8th week, N reduced DM, but this was reversed at the 9th week, when increasing fertilization led to significant increases in yield of DM. Crude protein content decreased with increasing maturity, and increased with increasing N fertiliser. Neutral and acid detergent fibre and hemicellulose contents were not affected by fertilizer but cellulose decreased as N increased. Lignin content increased with N fertilizer and silica content decreased; the sum of lignin and silica remained almost constant at different levels of N. Digestibility decreased as the plants matured, but was not affected by level of N.