Silage Yield and Some Quality Traits of Silage Maize Varieties Growing as Second Crop

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine silage yield and quality characteristics of 22 silage maize varieties (ADA-9510, ADA-9516, ADA-523, AGA, Arifiye, Kalideas, Keravnos, Kerbanis, Kolessous, Kilowatt, Larigal, Sakarya, Samada-07, Simpatico, SY-Antex, SY-Inove, SY-Gladius, Dragma, Pioneer PR31G98, Pioneer P9027, Dekalp 6308 ve Dekalp 6442) in Bilecik ecological conditions during the 2020 year. The experiments were arranged in randomized blocks design with three replications. The harvest was done when the plants reached at dough stage. The harvested plant were chopped, filled in 2 kg plastic drums in 3 repetitions and stored during the fermentation period, at 25 +/- 2 degrees C in a dry and out of direct sunlight indoor environment. Silage yield, physical quality characteristics, Flieg score, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid content, pH level, dry matter content, crude protein content, condensed tannin content, relative feed value (RFV), and some minerals contents were determined. Silage yields of the varieties were 5665.43 kg da(-1) (Kalideas) 9971.30 kg da(-1) (Sakarya), Flieg score 46.52 (Kolessous) - 98.59 (PR31G98), crude protein ratio 6.45% (Samada-07) - 8.95 (Ada-9510), relative feed value varied between 82.79 (Kolessous)-137.19 (ADA-9516). The highest lactic acid was from Arifiye (3.316), Sakarya (2.636%), Larigal (3.064%), Sy-Gladius (3.062%), and Dekalp 6308 (3.154%) varieties. The silages obtained from silage corn varieties, K content are between 1.867% (Kerbanis) and 3.203% (Kolessous), P content is 4.453% (Kalessous), 0.320% (SY-Inove), Ca content is 0.213% (Kerbanis) - 0.490 (Kolessous) and The Mg content varied between 0.110% (Kerbanis) - 0.217 (Dekalp 6308). As a result of the study, it was determined that silages made from Arifiye, Sakarya, Larigal, Sy-Antex, Sy-Gladius, PR31G98, P9027 and Dekalp varieties outperformed in terms of silage yield and quality characteristics which was investigated from other maize varieties in Bilecik ecological conditions.