Forage Yield and Quality of Corn Cultivars Developed in Different Eras

Abstract

Gains in corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield over time are well documented, but corresponding changes in forage and stover yield and quality have received less attention. Our objective was to describe yield and quality changes of representative cultivars used by farmers in the northern Corn Belt. Six open‐pollinated cultivars used prior to 1930, 24 cultivars representing four 15‐yr eras between 1931 and 1990, and six modern cultivars, for a total of 36 cultivars, were divided into early‐ and late‐maturity trials. Each trial was grown at three locations in Wisconsin during 1997 and 1998. Since 1930, corn forage dry matter yield has increased at the rate of 0.128 to 0.164 Mg ha−1 yr−1 with stover dry matter yields increasing at the rate of 0.043 to 0.054 Mg ha−1 yr−1 Forage crude protein has not changed significantly with time. Forage neutral detergent fiber concentration has decreased 0.825 to 0.948 g kg−1 yr−1, while forage in vitro digestibility increased 0.538 to 0.612 g kg−1 yr−1 Stover neutral detergent fiber concentration and in vitro digestibility have not changed over time. Since 1930 forage, stover, and ear yield have increased 1.4, 0.7, and 2.4% yr−1, respectively. This trend will no doubt continue, but greater progress might be made if corn forage breeding improvement concentrates on yield and quality changes in stover.

Cell Wall Composition and Ruminant Digestibility of Various Maize Tissues Across Development

“…Variation exists for cell wall composition and digestibility traits at both the silage stage (approximately reproductive 3 (R3)) [16,27,28,43] and physiological maturity (reproductive 6 (R6)) [27,28]. It has also been shown that breeding for forage yield and quality (cell wall composition and digestibility) has increased milk yields on both a per unit land and per unit mass basis [23]. Similarly, increasing the quality of maize stover for use as a biofeedstock through breeding and selection will have an impact in the efficiency of producing biofuels from cellulosic materials on both a per hectare and per ton basis.…”

In situ degradability of corn stover and elephant-grass harvested at four stages of maturity

“…Among available tropical forages corn silage is widely used on dairy farms with high production per cow and is frequently taken as the one with the highest nutritive value (Nussio et al, 2003). The higher nutritive value of corn silage is dependent on the percentage of grain in the total mass (Schmid et al, 1976;Lauer et al, 2001). However, Deinum & Bakker (1981) and Coors & Lauer (2000) have demonstrated that as grain percentage increases, stover digestibility decreases, so that there is no strong relationship between grain percentage and total forage dry matter digestibility.…”

Caracterización fenotípica de híbridos y variedades de maíz forrajero en Valles Altos del Estado de México, México

“…Both cultivars had a lower DT than that recorded by Bosch et al (1992) (Table 5). Wong et al (2006) and Lauer et al (2001) concluded that fresh and dry weights of corn with husks (MVE or MSE) and stems (MVT or MST) are the two major components of the total dry matter and green. In this context breeding for the formation of new forage cultivars should focus on obtaining more MVE materials, MSE, MVT, and MST, as a prerequisite for increased production of total dry matter.…”