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Title: NUTRITIONAL QUALITY EVALUATION OF FORAGE FROM BAHIAGRASS SELECTIONS

Author
item MYER, R. - NORTH FLORIDA REC
item Coleman, Samuel
item CARTER, J. - NORTH FLORIDA REC
item BLOUNT, A. - NORTH FLORIDA REC
item LITTELL, R. - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2004
Publication Date: 11/4/2004
Citation: Myer, R.O., Coleman, S.W., Carter, J.N., Blount, A.S., Littell, R.C. 2004. Nutritional quality evaluation of forage from bahiagrass selections. Agronomy Abstracts.ASAS-CSSA-SSSA-CSSS Annual Meeting Abstracts 2004. Seattle, WA. October 31- November 04,2004.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Forage nutritional quality was evaluated from four selection cycles (C) of 'Pensacola' derived bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). These selection cycles were developed from a restricted, recurrent phenotypic selection (RRPS) procedure used since 1960 by Dr. G. W. Burton, University of GA, CPES, Tifton, GA. This selection method resulted in increased forage yield; however, its impact on forage nutritional quality is not known. Forage samples were obtained from individual plant selections within each of four RRPS cycles (from oldest to most recent) which were CO ('Pensacola'), C4, C9 ("Tifton 9'), and C23. Forage from year-old plants (n=175/cycle) was harvested by hand on Oct.3, 2000 and again on Nov. 15, 2000. Samples were dried (49 C), ground (2 mm), and analyzed for DM, IVOMD, NDF and CP. The NIR was calibrated from reference values on 275 samples selected based on spectral characteristics. Selection cycle means ± 1 SD (DM basis) for CO, C4, C9 and C23,respectively for IVOMD were 49.7 ± 2.7, 50.3 ± 2.7, 52.8 ± 2.8 and 52.0 ± 2.9 for NFD, 81.0 ± 2.6, 79.7 ± 2.3, 78.7 ± 2.6 and 78.5 ± 2.8; and for CP, 14.2 ± 2.5, 13.7 ± 2.3, 13.2 ± 2.7 and 12.9 ± 2.2. The SE's were 0.10, 0.10 and 0.09 for IVOMD, NDF AND CP, respectively. The higher mean IVOMD of C4 vs CO was significant (P<0.01), and C9 and C23 vs C4 (P<0.01). The results observed overall were also noted within each harvest date. Therefore, in addition to the previously reported increase in forage yield, there was evidence that forage nutritional quality also increased with advancing selection cycle.