Satellite Symposium 2: Silage
Description
Forage maize grown for silage tends to be a compromise between reproductive and vegetative yield, and the cob component is the main driver of feeding value (Keane et al., 2003). Thus the aim is to produce a well-developed crop of high dry matter (DM) and starch content reflecting large cobs of well-filled grains rather than crops with low DM and starch contents reflecting poorly developed (immature) cob components at harvest. The use of plastic mulch can increase total DM yields with the increase in cob yield accounting for 75% of the total yield increase (Easson & Fearnehough, 1997). In this experiment the composition of cob components (i.e. rachis plus kernel) of two cultivars of different maturity under Irish conditions grown with or without plastic mulch were monitored between the harvest dates of 10 September to 9 November.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Cob Development in Forage Maize: Influence of Harvest Date, Cultivar and Plastic Mulch
Forage maize grown for silage tends to be a compromise between reproductive and vegetative yield, and the cob component is the main driver of feeding value (Keane et al., 2003). Thus the aim is to produce a well-developed crop of high dry matter (DM) and starch content reflecting large cobs of well-filled grains rather than crops with low DM and starch contents reflecting poorly developed (immature) cob components at harvest. The use of plastic mulch can increase total DM yields with the increase in cob yield accounting for 75% of the total yield increase (Easson & Fearnehough, 1997). In this experiment the composition of cob components (i.e. rachis plus kernel) of two cultivars of different maturity under Irish conditions grown with or without plastic mulch were monitored between the harvest dates of 10 September to 9 November.
