<b>Growth, productivity, characterization and chemical composition of white oat</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.241

Abstract

One experiment was carried out at Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, with the purpose of evaluating growth, productivity, morphological and phenological characteristics and chemical composition of white oat (Avena sativa L. cv. UPF 7). The treatments were conducted during cutting times each 14 days, in a random design with three replications. A quadratic effect of time was observed on dry matter and crude protein accumulation, reaching maximum values at maturation (12,240 kg ha^-1) and at 98 days after emergence (DAE) (818 kg ha^-1), respectively. Crude protein concentration and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) decreased with the time from 24.9 and 82.2% at 14 DAE to 4.9 and 36.8% at maturation, respectively. At 70 DAE, IVDMD was 68%, dry matter production was 3693 kg ha^-1, plants height was 63 cm, CP, Ca and P were 18.9, 0.28 and 0.37% respectively. The optimum availability of forage estimated for 37 DAE through polynomial regression was 1,500 kg ha^-1 (dry matter production), and at this time the forage showed the following characteristics: height of 33 cm, 21.4% CP, 0.4% P, 0.27% Ca and 75.5% IVDMD. The time suggested for the utilization of this forage, according to the values of IVDMD and availability of forage varied from 37 to 70 DAE.