New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
The yield and nutritive value of maize hybrids grown for silage
J. P. Millner
R. Villaver
Institute of Natural Resources
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
A. K. Hardacre
New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research Limited
Private Bag 11 600
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Abstract The effect of hybrid and plant population
on yield, metabolisable energy content and nitrogen percentage of
forage maize were investigated in a trial which included seven maize (Z.
mays L.) hybrids established at 75 000, 100 000, and
140 000 plants/ha. Biomass yield and its distribution among
morphological components were measured in all plots, while
metabolisable energy content and nitrogen percentage of each component
were measured in the 100 000 plants/ha plots only. There were
significant hybrid differences in yield and yield distribution among
components. Yields ranged from 15 800 to 20 700 kg DM/ha, the
greatest contribution coming from grain, followed by stem, cob, and
leaf. Plant population had no effect on dry matter partitioning, but
forage yields declined significantly at the lowest population. Crop
metabolisable energy content ranged from 10.3 to 11.3 MJ/kg DM with
significant differences among hybrids, but was not correlated with
forage yield or the relative contribution to yield of any component.
Keywords Zea mays; maize; yield; silage;
hybrid; plant population; metabolisable energy; nitrogen %;
morphological components
A03064; Received 24 October 2003; accepted 22 November 2004; Online
publication date 21 March 2005
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2005, Vol. 48:
101–108
0028–8233/05/4801–0101 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005
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