Phänotyp und Futterqualitat einschliefilich Konservierungseigenschaften bei Grasern |
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| Authors: | W Opitz VON Boberfeld |
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| Institution: | Ludwigstr. 23, D-35390 Gießen, Deutschland. |
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| Abstract: | Phenotype and forage value, including conservation properties, of grasses The phenotype of grasses can be influenced by the date of harvest as well as by breeding programs. In contrast to dicotyledons, the stems of grasses are younger than the leaves, although the grass leaves are usually considered to have a higher nutritional value than the stems. In a field experiment, Lolium multiflorum Lam. ssp. gaudini (Parl.) Schinz et Kell. was grown as a model-plant in order to study effects of ploidy-level, N-fertilization, stage of development, and growth time on the main aspects of nutritional value and conservation properties in relation to the phenotype. As regards the nutritional value, the interactions of ploidy × plant organ (=stem or leaf) and of ploidy × N-input were not significant. Hence, the results for leaf and stem can be generahzed. Until the emergence of the inflorescence, EC 49, the stem showed a significant higher net energy content than the leaf; at later stages of development this relationship changed. The evaluation of the net energy content of leaf and stem was significantly influenced by the method of estimation. In vitro methods with rumen liquor may show the best approximation to the real value. The crude protein/energy ratio of the stem as compared to the leaf better meets the nutritional requirements of ruminants; on the other hand the leaf was more valuable than the stem in relation to the nitrate content, especially when the whole plant showed an increased nitrate level. The general relationship between the mineral content and the phenotype was not evident. The investigation indicated significant differences between stem and leaf in relation to their conservation properties. The leaf showed more favourable drying properties than the stem but ensilability was better for the stem than for the leaf. As a result of this investigation it is assumed that, in the past, the nutritional value of young stem has been underestimated whereas the value of the leaf has been overemphasized. This may also be due to the criteria and determination methods of the nutritional value. |
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| Keywords: | grassland Lolium spec phenotype net-energy-lactation energy estimation crude protein nitrate Ca/P-ratio magnesium sodium water-soluble carbohydrates buffering capacity water loss |
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