Proximate principles and dry matter digestibility of fodder maize and sugargraze in response to potassium management

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the forage quality of maize and sugargraze as influenced by different potassium management practices. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design in which two fodder crops, viz. maize and sugargraze, were taken as the main plot, and different potassium management regimes were taken as a subplot. Results revealed that the quality parameters of sugargraze and fodder maize crops, viz. Dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash content, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, and acid detergent lignin were significantly influenced favourably by potassium management. Comparing the quality parameters, remarkably highest CP (9.70%), total ash content (9.87%) as well as potassium uptake (230 kg/ha) were obtained with 50 kg K2O + KSB + 2% KNO3 foliar spray; however, higher ether extract (1.73%) was recorded in 50 kg K2O + KSB + 2% K2SO4 foliar spray. The fibre fractions, viz. NDF (66.1%), ADF (35.4%) and ADL (4.70%) recorded considerably lower values with 25 kg K2O + KSB + 2% KNO3 foliar spray over control. The higher values of TDN (59.3%), DMD (63.6 g/kg), RFV (94.7%) and DMI (1.92 g/kg) were recorded in fodder maize over sugargraze with an application of 25 kg K2O + KSB + 2% KNO3 foliar spray. Therefore, considering all the studied parameters, it can be concluded that getting higher quality green biomass production of fodder maize and sugargraze with the application of 25 kg K2O + KSB + 2% KNO3 would be a more feasible agro-practice.