GROWTH CHARACTERS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF FORAGE OATS VARIETIES AT PESHAWAR

摘要

Scarcity of forage is the major limiting factor for increasing livestock production in Pakistan Oats is cool season crop that can be used to increase forage availability in winter season. The present study was therefore initiated to find out high yielding forage oats varieties under the climatic conditions of Peshawar. In order to know growth characters and productivity of 17 oats varieties received from National Agriculture Research center, Islamabad and experiment was carried out at the AgricultureResearch Farm of NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, during winter season 2000-01 Sargodah Local was used as a check variety. Differences among plant heights of the oat varieties were significant with maximum plant height of 143 cm noted in plots ofvariety PD2-LV65, while the minimum, plant height of 95 cm was recorded in plots of variety Reil. Leaves per tiller of the different varieties ranged form 5.0 to 6.0 with no significant differences among the values in the range.Average leaf area variedsignificantly between 27,9 and 48.5 cm~2. Maximum leaf area of 48.5 cm~2 was recorded of variety PD2-LV65, while the minimum of 27.9 cm~2 was recorded for the check variety Sargodah Local, Differences among fresh forage yields of the 17 varieties were significant Maximum fresh forage yield of 131 t/ha was obtained form variety Steel, followed by 128 t/ha from variety Jasper, while the minimum fresh forage yield of 70 t/ha was obtained form variety Marloo. Fresh forage yields of the 5 lower yielding varieties ranged form 70 to 101 t/ha, of the 7 medium yielding varieties from 104 to 119 t/ha, and of the 5 high yielding varieties the yield ranged form 120 to 131 t/ha. Differences in dry forage yield of the varieties were significant, with a maximum dry forage yield of 35 t/ha recorded for variety Sheikhupura Local, and a minimum of 13 t/ha noted for variety Marloo. Differences in percent dry matter of the varieties were significant and ranged from 192 (Marloo) to 295% (Sheikhupura Local). All varietiesproduced 4.6 to 73.8% higher leaf area than the check variety Sargodah Local Seven varieties produced 4 to 17% higher fresh forage yield while nine varieties produced 1 to 37% lower fresh forage yield when compared to check variety Sagodah Local. The high fresh forage yielding varieties viz. Steel, Jasper, Foot Hill, Reil Sheikhupura Local No.663 and Nile require further investigation on fertilizer rates and timing, sowing time, seed rates and cutting frequency.