Progress Report Series No. 82 I >March, 1962 Agricultural Experiment Station .E.c Smith, Director Auburn, Alabama I AUBURN UNIVERSITY I , r V ~ r hiI I L~ ~ r II U r ~P PERFORMANCE of SILAGE VARIETIES C. S. HOVELAND, Associate Agronomist E. M. EVANS, Associate Agronomist R. M. PATTERSON, Associate Agronomist* IS INCREASING in importance as part of the roughage feeding program for Alabama livestock production. There are two major reasons for the increased interest in silage crops: (1) recognition by producers of the importance of harvested roughages; and (2) the trend toward intensification of production, particularly in the dairy industry. Corn is considered the ideal silage, crop for productive soils. Silage made from corn with high grain content is easy to preserve and is a high quality roughage. However, many soils in Alabama are too droughty for corn to consistently make satisfactory yields. With such soils and uncertain rainfall, sorghum may be more productive than corn because it is more drought tolerant. In recent years a large number of forage sorghum varieties have been released. Many of these varieties are leafier and produce much more grain than the older varieties. In the tests reported here, some of the newer sorghum varieties were compared with corn varieties commonly grown for silage. Sorghum almum, pearlmillet, and Sudax 11 were each included at one location. Silage variety trials were conducted at five locations in Alabama during 1960 and 1961. The test entries were planted in 3-row plots 20 feet long with four replications. Row spacings varied with location to accommodate available cultivat* The tests were conducted in cooperation with John Boseck, Tennessee Valley Substation; Jordan Langford, Plant Breeding Unit; E. L. Mayton, Piedmont Substation; L. A. Smith and H. W. Grimes, Black Belt Substation; and Harold Yates and J. E. Barrett, Gulf Coast Substation. SILAGE ing equipment. A width of 36 inches was used at Marion Junction, 38 inches at Fairhope, 40 inches at Tallassee, and 42 inches at Belle Mina and Camp Hill. The tests were planted in late April or early May and fertilized at planting with 20 to 30 pounds per acre of nitrogen and adequate rates of phosphorus and potassium. All tests were sidedressed with 40 to 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre each year. The sorghum varieties were harvested when they reached the dough stage and corn when well dented. The center row of each plot was harvested and a sample of green forage was oven dried for determination of dry forage yields. RESULTS Reported in Tables 1-6 are maturity, height, grain production, disease resistance, sugar content, and forage yield of the varieties tested. Maturity. The average time required from planting to the proper maturity for harvest varied from 80 days for the very early varieties to 135 days for the latest maturing entry, Table 1. These data are 2-year averages of the five locations and are presented as a guide for farm planning. Some variation in maturity should be expected because of location, time of planting, and rainfall distribution. Varieties requiring an average of 80 to 100 days from planting to harvest are classified as very early; those requiring 100 to 115 days are early; those requiring 115 to 120 days are medium; and TABLE 1. SOME CHARACTERISTICS AT FIRST HARVEST OF SILAGE VARIETIES TIESTED IN ALABAMA, 1960-61 TABLE 2. YIELDS OF SILAGE VARIETIES AT TENNESSEE VALLEY SUBSTATION, BELLE MINA, 1960-61 ProporEntry Time to nnII. silage Heighthedo (brix) maturity ear in dry of juice matter ,L/ayy F ornt, jr GLI. L F p.-f tion of P/--t Pr,cSugar ua Oven dry forage yields per acre Entry VERY EARLY DeKaib Sudax-il Sorghum almum Cahi-1 milletStarr millet- EARLY Corn Pioneer 309A- -- 80 80 90 90 100 105 105 105 100 100 105 105 105 110 110 110 115 115 11S 120 120 120 125 125 135 8 9 9 6 8 9 9 8 6 5 6 9 7 10 8 7 9 10 5 12 12 9 8 9 14 16 6 6 65 44 61 36 49 38 9 24 23 26 29 36 21 23 7 24 10 4 12 10 - Dixie 18-- -- - - - Dixie 29-- - -- - - - Pflster 488--- -Sorghum DeKalb FS-1A Combine Sagrain 10 7 7 1-A NK-300 --------NK-320----FrontierS-212 - - Sart-- - -- Asgrow BeefbuilderLindsey 11SF -----Taylor-Evans Yieldmaker --- Silo King---------DeKaib FS-22-----NK-300 ----------NK-320 ------------- Lindsey l01F -------- N K-330 ------------- DeKalbI FS-1A ----Sorghum almum ---DeKaib Sudax-li---Dixie 18 corn Dixie 29 corn Pfister 488 corn -L.S.D. (5 per cent)-. - -- 1960 harvests_ Fi.rst Second Total Tc9ns Tons Tons 10.70 10.70 10.47 10.47 9.04 9.04 7.92 6.55 6.21 7.92 6.55 1961 2-year total av. total Tons Tons 6.12 5.01 8.30 7.02 6.73 6.28 5.83 5.17 4.95 5.17 6.78 6.78 -- - DeKalb FS-22---------N K -315 --------------Lindsey 1 -IF---------MEDIUM Sorghum Silo K ing----------- ---Taylor-Evans YieldmakerN K-330 --------------Lindsey 11SF ---------Asgrow Beefbuilder ------ -Tracy --- -- -------LATE Sorghum Orange-------------- -B rawley --------------S art---- -- --- -- -- -- -- - 5.54 6.02 5.94 --5.45 6.21 --5.70 --5.34 4.96 --L 5.17 3.27 2.05 7.00 6.12 6.72 1.65 --6.78 --6.78 ---- 5.04 1.12 0.80 -- 4.22 6.42 1.08 14 12 11 11 13 14 14 16 11 20 18 among varieties in the amount of damage observed. DeKalb FS-1A was often severely damaged by midge, whereas NK-300 generally had high grain production. Bird damage may also severely reduce grain yields. Disease Resistance. The newer sorghum varieties described in this report were developed in the semi-arid region of the western United States and may not have sufficient disease resistance in humid areas. Several of these varieties grown in fields where rotation was not practiced were badly damaged by red rot (Colletotrichum graminicolum (Ces.) A. W. Wils). Red rot is a disease, of the interior of stalks and may cause lodging. The Sart TABLE 3. YIELDS OF SILAGE VARIETIES AT PIEDMONT SUBSTATION., CAMP HLL, 1960-61 those requiring 125 or more days are classified as late maturing varieties. The early maturing sorghum varieties produced a second cutting in southern Alabama and at lower elevations in central Alabama. Regrowth from the stubble required less time for maturity than did the first crop. Height. Height of the varieties varied from 5 to 14 feet, Table 1. The taller varieties generally produced the most forage, but were more susceptible to lodging, particularly when they produced heavy heads. Lodging was not a serious problem in these tests, except for 1 year at Camp Hill, Fairhope, and Tallassee. Grain Production. The proportion of forage yield that was head or ear varied from 4 per cent for Sart sorghumto 65 per cent for Pioneer 309A corn, Table 1. Four of the forage sorghums, DeKalb FS-1A, NK-300, NK-320, and NK-330, were more than.30 per cent head at harvest. Grain yield of all the sorghums may be reduced by the midge insect. There was a great difference Oven dry forage yields per acre Entry 1960 harvests First Second Total Tons ----Tons 6.79 -4.87 4.23 8-.35 3.95 4.56 3.26 4.66 1.41 1961 Total Tons 6.26 4.91 4.86 4.19 4.58 4.56 4.68 3.86 ---5.10 N.S. ing 2-year Lodg- av. total Pct. 50 0 90 0 95 90 0 0 -0 -Tons 5.85 -4.53 4.40 4.01 3.90 -4.88 N.S. Tons Asgrow Beefbuilder Sart ---------- 6.79 -NK-315 ------DeKaib FS-22-- 4.87 NK-320 ------- 4.23 Taylor-Evans Yieldmaker NK-300 ------- 3.35 DeKalb FS-1A-- 3.95 Gahi-1 millet--- 4.22 Starr millet 2.72 Dixie 18 corn--. 4.66 L.S.D. (5 per cent)-- -- -0.34 0.54 -- variety is highly resistant to red rot and Tracy has some resistance. Sugar Content. Sugar content of the juice of sorghums was determined in the field with a hand refractometer. The content of dissolved solids (an indirect measure of sugar) in the plant juice varied from 7 to 20 per cent, Table 1. Yield. Yields are reported as oven dry matter rather than green weight because stage. of maturity, time of harvest, and weather conditions affect moisture content, Tables 2-6. Dry matter con- tent of the forages at harvest generally varied from 25 to 35 per cent. Corn yields varied from 4.01 to 6.78 tons of dry forage per acre as compared with sorghum yields of 3.27 to 12.25 tons. Corn, pearlmillet, Sudax-li, and Sorghum almum yields usually were lower than those from the tall forage sorghums. At Belle Mina, Table 2, and Camp Hill, Table 3, only one cutting of sorghum can normally be expected. In central and southern Alabama, the early maturing varieties often make sufficient regrowth from -the stubble to mature before frost. 1960-61 2-year av. total Tons 10.45 9.66 9.00 8.69 8.36 8.38 8.27 8.20 7.14 6.88 6.39 TABLE4. YIELDS OF SILACE VARIETIES AT PLANTBREEDING UNIT, TALLASSEE, Oven dry forage yields per acre Entry First Tons 5.91 4.79 5.22 4.64 6.76 4.30 3.52 3.68 3.26 6.87 2.71 4.78 4.472 Lindsey 115F- DeKaib FS-22 Taylor-Evans Yieldmaker Frontier S-212 1960 harvests Second Tons 4.86 3.88 3.65 3.79 2.071 Total Tons 10.77 8.67 8.87 8.43 8.83 8.25 8.40 7.66 7.01 6.87 6.41 4.78 4.47 First NK-330 ---------------Asgrow Beefbuilder -----N K-320 ---------------N K-315 ---------------Lindsey l01F -----------N K-300 ---------------S art------------------ DeKaib FS-1A----------T racy --- -- --- -- --- -- -- B raw ley ---------------Orange --------------- -- 3.95 4.88 3.98 3.75 3.70 Tons 3.55 5.90 3.26 5.04 4.73 5.04 3.19 3.12 3.13 3.01 6.90 2.57 6.31 6.03 4.963 5.44 5.13 0.80 cl.~V 1961 harvests Second Tons 6.58 4.75 5.88 4.06 4.22 2.85 5.32 5.02 5.62 4.26 3.80 Total Tons 10.13 10.65 9.14 9.10 8.95 7.89 8.51 8.14 8.75 7.27 6.90 6.37 6.31 6.03 4.96 5.44 5.13 0.91 Silo King --------------Pfister 488 corn---------Dixie 18 corn------ ------ 4.71 L.S.D. (5 per cent)------- r___________________________ 0.96 1.04 L+.i~ 1 c).()O 140 per cent lodged. 2 10 per cent lodged. ' 20 per cent lodged. TABLE 1.58 ().I)I 0.91 1.51 5. YIELDS OF SILAGE VARIETIES AT BLACK BELT SUBSTATION, MARION JUNCTION, 1960-61 2-year av. Oven dry forage yields per acre Entry First Tons 1960 harvests Second Tons 1961 harvests Total Tons 12.08 First Tons 8.38 5.18 8.46 4.78 7.40 4.68 3.83 7.15 6.63 3.67 5.86 3.10 3.96 4.01 1.36 2.90 3.41 Second Tons 3.69 3.83 3.29 3.65 3.33 S a rt----------------- Lindsey F---------------Asgrow Beefbuilder ----N K -315-------- ------Lindsey 11SF 12.08 Silo King-- - - -N K-320 --------------Taylo'r-Evans Yieldmaker NK-330----NK-300-- - - - Tracy ---- --- -- -- --- -- - 6.38 5.38 5.61 .5.98 6.38 5.38 5.61 5.98 5.10 6.05 DeKalb FS-22---------Orange -------------- -DeKalb FS-1A---------DeKalb Sudax-il-------Dixie 18 corn-------- 5.10 6.05 5.79 5.00 Total Tons 8.38 8.87 8.46 8.61 7.40 7.97 7.48 7.15 6.63 7.00 5.86 6.00 7.37 4.01 1.02 total Tons 10.23 6.89 6.68 6.54 6.56 6.05 5.83 4.93 7.70 4.75 1.44 3.86 4.68 5.49 3.34 L.S.D. (5 per cent)------ 5.79 5.00 3.86 8.02 5.49 1.23 TABLE 6. YIELDS OF SILAGE VARIETIES AT CIJTF COAST SUBSTATION, FAIRHOPE, 1960-61 Entry Lodging 1960 harvests First Second Oven dry forage yields per acre 1961 harvests Total First Second Total 2-year av. total Pct. Sa rt ---- ---- ---- --- Asgrow Beefbuilder Taylor-Evans Yieldmaker DeKaib FS-22 Lindsey 115F NK-320-- --- - -- - T racy ----------------N K-300-------------- -DeKaib FS-1A.--------O range ---------------Combine Sagrain -------Dixie 18 corn----------Pioneer 309A corn------4 76.16 90 0 0 1 10 0 0 Tons 7.44 Tons 3.51 4.60 Tons 10.95 10.76 8.70 8.24 7.39 6.66 5.78 4.98 5.70 Tons 8.65 7.981 7.281 Tons 3.60 3.81 3.35 3.89 3.20 2.72 2.46 2.39 Tons 12.25 11.29 10.63 10.61 10.38 8.19 7.57 6.33 6.32 4.48 Tons 11.60 --10.68 -8.44 7.48 6.49 6.01 5.76 6.55 4.81 3.91 5.78 4.98 5.70 2.94 1.69 2.58 2.75 6.72 7.18 5.47 5.11 3.94 6.32 4.48 L.S.D. (5 Per-cent)------' 5 per cent lodged. 1.130 0.96 1.76 0.78 0.87 1.24 Yields from the second cutting sometimes exceed those from the first cutting. If a second cutting is expected, planting must be done early and the crop sidedressed with nitrogen after the first cutting. Second cutting yields given in the tables were harvested only from varieties that headed before frost. Regrowth from some varieties was quite vigorous. Regrowth was usually poor on Silo King and Tracy even though they are not late maturing varieties. SUMMARY A large number of forage sorghum varieties with widely different characteristics have been tested at -five Alabama locations for 2 years. Since 3 years of testing are considered necessary to give a good measure of the performance of a variety, this report is preliminary. However, the data should be of value in selecting a variety. Corn, pearlmillet, Sorghum almum, and Sudax11 yields usually were lower than those from the tall forage sorghums. On the basis of available information, some sorghum varieties can be recommended on a trial basis. These varieties are listed alphabetically within each sub-group and are equally acceptable except as noted. HIGH FORAC-E YIELD, Low CRAIN, HIGH SUGAR Early rnaturity-DeKalb FS-22 Medium omaturity-Tracy Late maturity-Sart Excess lodging has sometimes occurred with Sart. HIGH FORAGE YIELD, MEDIUM GRAIN, MEDIUM To HIGH SUGAR Early maturity-Lindsey 101F, NK-315 Medium matnrity-Beefbuilder, Lindsey 11SF, Yieldmaker All except Lindsey 101iF have lodged badly in several tests. HIGH GRAIN, Low Early maturity-NK-300, NK-320 LOWER FORAGE YIELD, SUGAR NK-320 has lodged badly in several tests.