Research Article Forage bromatology is affected by sowing density and cutting management in dual purpose wheat

Abstract

We evaluated the effects on the nutritional value of the forage of five genotypes of wheat with dual purpose submitted to different sowing densities, as well as different cutting managements. The experiments were carried out in the agricultural crop years of 2013 and 2014 in Frederico Westphalen, RS. The experimental design was a randomized block, organized in a factorial scheme with five genotypes of dual purpose wheat (BRS Tarumã, BRS Umbu, BRS Figueira, BRS Guatambu and BRS 277) x five sowing densities (75, 150, 225, 300 and 375 seeds per square meter) x three cutting managements (one, two and three cuttings), arranged in three replicates. The attributes of interest were obtained through the collection of all plants per experimental unit. These included percentage of crude protein, lipids, neutral detergent fiber and nonfibrous carbohydrates. The bromatological quality of forage from ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 18 (4): gmr18211 F.L. da Silva et al. 2 wheat with dual purpose depends on cutting management, genotype and sowing density. The maximum protein fraction and non-fibrous carbohydrates in the forage was obtained at intermediate sowing densities of 300 and 375 seeds per square meter, independent of the genotype for the largest number of cuts.