The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences 19(2): 2009, Pages: 82-84

ISSN: 1018-7081

EFFICACY OF NITROGEN ON GREEN FODDER YIELD AND QUALITY OF OAT

(Avena sativa L.)
M. F. Iqbal, M. A. Sufyan, M. M. Aziz*, I. A. Zahid*, Qamir-ul-Ghani** and S. Aslam

Adaptive Research Farm Gujranwala

*
Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki District Kasur **Jaffer Brothers Private Limited
Corresponding author: mazherfareed2004@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
An experiment was conducted at Buffalo Research Institute Pattoki to study the effect of varying levels of nitrogen
fertilizer on oat fodder yield, dry matter yield and dry matter percentage. Different levels of nitrogen; T0, O; (control)
with no phosphorous and potassium, T1 0; T2, 70; T3 92; T4, 114; T5, 136; T6, 158 kg ha-1 alongwith a constant dose of
triple super phosphate (84 kg ha-1) and potassium sulphate (62 kg ha-1) were applied. Analysis of variance indicated a
significant effect of nitrogen levels on all the parameters studied. Maximum fresh fodder yield (77.11 t ha-1) was
obtained with the application of 114 kg ha-1 nitrogen. Whereas minimum fresh fodder yield (55.56 t ha-1) was obtained
when no fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) was applied. Higher doses of nitrogen (136 or 158 kg ha-1)
adversely affected the fresh fodder yield.
Key words: Oat, Nitrogen level, Green fodder yield, dry matter yield, dry matter percentage.

INTRODUCTION distributed rainfall of 400 mm and an optimum

temperature range 16-32oC during the four months
Importance of fodder crops in agriculture needs duration is sufficient to meet its requirement as a fodder
no emphasis because of the fact that the adequate crop. It is a quick growing, palatable, succulent and
nutritious regular fodder availability is a basic nutritious crop and forms an excellent combination when
requirement for livestock production to meet the demand fed along with other cold season legumes, like berseem or
of milk, butter and other byproducts for human Egyptain clover (Trifolium alexandrinum), Lucerne or
consumption. Animals in Pakistan are generally underfed, alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Indian clover (Melilotus
which results in unsatisfactory production of livestock. indica), Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum) and pea
One of several reasons for low yield is low fertility status (Pisum arvense), or vetch (Vicia sativa) (Thomson et al.,
of most cultivated soils, especially nitrogen is deficient in 1990).
the cultivated soils of the world (Ulysses, 1982). The oats can provide green fodder after 60-70
The area under fodder crops is 3.35 million days in emergency to tide over the scarcity period but
hectares out of a total cropped area of 21.85 million after 90-100 days to get large quantity of fodder. Oats is
hectares in the country, producing more than 60 million mostly fed as green and surplus is converted into silage or
tones of fodder (Anonymous, 2007). The area under hay for use during the fodder deficit periods. It is
fodder in Punjab is 2.03 million hectares with a total favourite feed of all animals and its straw is soft and
production of 45 million tones, which is not sufficient superior to wheat and barley. It is high in TDN, protein,
even to meet the maintenance requirements of the fat, vitamin B1 and minerals as phosphorus and iron. The
livestock (Anonymous, 2007). One way of improving the oats grain is particularly valuable feed for horses, dairy
yield and quality of fodder crops is to determine their cows, poultry and young breeding animals of all kinds
fertilizer requirements. The plant nutrition not only (Hussain et al., 2002).
affects the forage production but also improves the Livestock, mainly stall-fed, are very important
quality of forage from viewpoint of its protein content. in Pakistan’s agricultural economy. Crop residues and
(Khandaker and Islam, 1988) fodder form are the basis of the ration, with concentrates
Oats (Avena sativa L.), locally known as javi, for commercial stock. Agricultural land is limited, so
jai, or jodar, belong to the poaceae family. Oats is a crop increased forage availability has to be through increasing
of Mediterranean origin; not as old as wheat and barley, yield per unit area. Introduction of the new oats cultivars
but their domestication dates back to ancient times. Oats coincided with expansion of dairying and gave impetus to
is one of the most important cereal fodder crops grown in commercial forage growing in the irrigated tracts.
winter throughout Pakistan both under irrigated and rain Therefore, to maintain production at high levels, it is
fed conditions. Temperate and cool sub-tropical important to achieve high use efficiency of chemical
conditions are congenial for its growth. A well- fertilizers through suitable application.

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 The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences 19(2): 2009, Pages: 82-84
ISSN: 1018-7081

Present study was, therefore, planned to find out each container and placed in an oven at 105 °C till
best economical dose of nitrogen fertilizer for obtaining constant weight was attained. Dry matter percentage was
maximum green fodder yield, dry matter yield, dry matter calculated by the following formula.
percentage of Oats with better nutritional quality under
wt. of oven dry sample
irrigated conditions at Buffalo Research Institute Pattoki,
Dry Matter (%) =------------------------------------ x 100
District Kasur.
wt. of sample before drying
MATERIALS AND METHODS 3-Dry matter yield (t ha-1): Dry fodder yield (DMY)
was calculated by applying this formula.
A field experiment to study the fodder yield and FFY x DM (%)
quality of oat under different nitrogen levels was DMY (t ha-1) = --------------------------------------
conducted at Buffalo Research Institute, Pattoki District 100
Kasur during 2007-08. The experiment was laid out in
randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three Analysis procedures described by A. O. A. C.
replications using a net plot size of 3 x 5 m. The (1984) were followed for the determination of crude
experiment was conducted in soil having a pH = 8.1 protein, crude fibre, ether extractable fat and total ash
(alkaline in reaction), available phosphorus (7.9 ppm), percentage. The data thus recorded were subjected to
available potassium (165 ppm), TSS (0.09%) and was statistical analysis under Complete Randomized Block
low in organic matter (0.79 %). Design through analysis of variance technique. The
The nitrogen treatments are shown in table 1. differences among treatment means were tested by
Oat was sown on November 01, 2007 on a well applying Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (Steel et al.,
prepared seed bed. All necessary precautions regarding 1997) and economic analysis of variance for nitrogen
agronomic and plant protection measures were kept levels for interpretation of results and drawing of valid
normal and uniform to avoid bias. conclusion.

Table: 1. Nitrogen levels (kg ha-1) keeping the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
phosphorus and potassium levels constant in all
treatments. 1-Fresh fodder yield (t ha-1): The data regarding
influence of different nitrogen levels on total green
N (kg ha-1) P2O5 K2O fodder yield are depicted in Table-2. The data indicated
Treatments
(kg ha-1) (kg ha-1) that nitrogen levels showed significant effect on green
T0 0 0 0 fodder yield. The minimum green fodder yield (55.56 t
T1 0 84 62 ha-1) was obtained where no nitrogen was applied. The
T2 70 84 62 green fodder yield increased with each increase in
T3 92 84 62 nitrogen level.
T4 114 84 62
T5 136 84 62 Table-2: Effect of different doses of nitrogen fertilizer
T6 158 84 62 on the Green Fodder yield, Dry matter Yield
(t ha-1) Dry matter Percentage respectively.
Nitrogen and phosphorus in the form of urea and
triple super phosphate (TSP) and potassium in the form Fresh Fodder Dry Matter Dry
of potassium sulphate were applied to all the treatments Treatments Yield (t ha-1) Yield Matter
except control. Half dose of nitrogen with full dose of (t ha-1) (%)
P2O5 and K2O in all treatments except control was T0 55.56 15.18 27.38
applied at the time of sowing by side dressing with the T1 59.11 15.79 26.72
help of a hand drill. While the remaining half dose of N T2 66.22 16.03 24.20
was applied at 1st irrigation. T3 72.67 19.45 26.77
1-Fresh fodder yield (t ha-1): At 50 % flowering stage, T4 77.11 19.97 25.89
all treatments of each replications were harvested and T5 76.89 22.01 28.63
weighed to get fresh fodder yield (FFY). The yields T6 68.00 21.93 32.25
obtained were converted into t ha-1.
The maximum green fodder yield (77.11 t ha-1)
2-Dry matter (%): For dry matter determination, firstly was obtained where nitrogen was applied @ 114 kg ha-1
aluminium containers were oven dried and weighed by (T4). Further increase in nitrogen (136 and 158 kg N)
electric balance. 10 g of plant sample was weighed in showed a negative effect on fodder yield, but also

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 The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences 19(2): 2009, Pages: 82-84
ISSN: 1018-7081

increased economics of fertilizer. This might be due to Hussain, A., S. Khan, M.U. Mufti and A. Bakhsh (2002).
the fact that excessive fertilization caused lodging, which Introduction and use of oats cultivars in
reduced the yield. Significant increase in green fodder Pakistan. Proceedings of “5th TAPAFON
yield at T4 can be attributed to greater plant height, (Temperate Asia Pasture and Fodder Network)
number of leaves per plant and leaf area index. The meeting/conference held at Renewable Natural
present findings regarding significant effect of nitrogen Resources Research Center, Bajo (Wangdue-
level are in agreement with the results reported by Bhutan). pp. 159-166.
Mahale et al., (2003) and Johnston et al. (2004). Johnston, A. M., G. P. Lafond, F. C. Stevenson, W. E.
May and R. M. Mohr (2004). Effect of nitrogen,
2-Dry fodder yield (t ha-1): From the data presented in
seeding date and cultivar on oat quality and
Table-2 indicate that nitrogen levels showed significant
yield in the eastern Canadian prairies. Canadian
effect on dry fodder yield. All the treatments differed
J. Plant Sci. 84: 1025-1036.
significantly with one another. All the nitrogen levels
Khandaker, Z.H. and M.M. Islam. (1988). Effect of
produced relatively higher dry fodder yield than control.
nitrogen fertilization and stage of maturity on
Maximum dry fodder yield (22.01 t ha-1) was observed in
yield and quality of fodder maize. Bangladesh J.
treatment receiving 136 kg N ha-1 (T5) while minimum
Anim. Sci. 7(1-2): 47-53.
dry fodder yield (15.18 t ha-1) was observed in treatment
Mahale, B.B., V.B. Nevase, S.T. Thorat, and J. S.
getting no nitrogen fertilizer (T0). The findings of the
Dhekale. (2003). Effect of non-symbiotic
present study regarding significant effect of nitrogen on
nitrogen fixers on the forage yield of oat (Avena
dry fodder yield were reported by Hasan and Shah
sativa L). Annals of Agricultural Research,
(2000).
Indian Society of Agricultural Science. 24: 121-
3-Dry Matter (%): As crops grow towards maturity, dry 123.
matter percentage increase with a simultaneous decrease Steel, R. G. D., J. H. Torrie and D. C. Dicky (1997).
in moisture percentage, being a natural trend. The data Principle and procedures of statistics. A
presented in Table-2 revealed that dry matter percentage Biometrical Approach. 2nd Edi. Me-Graw-Hill
showed the significant effect with the application of Book Co. New York.
nitrogen fertilizer. Maximum dry matter percentage Thomson E.F., S. Rihawi, N. Nersoyan (1990). Nutritive
(32.25 %) was obtained when crop was fertilized @ 156 value and yields of some forage legumes and
kg N ha-1 (T6). An increase in dry matter percentage with barley harvested as immature herbage, hay and
nitrogen application has also been reported by Wang et straw in northwest Syria. Experimental
al. (2002). Agriculture, 26: 49–56.
Ulysses, S.J. (1982). Fertilizers and Soil Fertility. 2nd
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