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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Genetics and Breeding Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #195752
Title: DIGESTIBILITY AND FIBER OF A FORAGE BERMUDAGRASS CORE COLLECTION

Author
item Anderson, William - Bill

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2006
Publication Date: 10/12/2006
Citation: Anderson, W.F. 2006. Digestibility and fiber of a forage bermudagrass core collection. Agronomy Abstracts. http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2006am/techprogram/P21732.htm.

Interpretive Summary: not required

Technical Abstract: Bermudagrass is the most important warm-season grass forage for the South. Cultivars with good quality traits such as high dry matter digestibility have translated into higher daily gains for beef and improved milk production in dairy cattle. A forage bermudagrass core collection consisting of 168 plant introductions from around the world were analyzed for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) during the summer of 2005. There was significant variation among entries for IVDMD (48.3% to 71.0%), NDF (64.3% to 77.3%) and ADF (24.1% to 34.5%). IVDMD was negatively correlated with NDF (R2 = -0.86) and ADF (R2= -0.58). ADF and NDF were correlated (R2 = 0.71), however, entries such as Tifton 68 had very high digestibility with moderately high NDF and ADF. Results from the core collection screening will facilitate the identification of parental lines that will be used to breed for higher forage quality.