Productivity and quality of oat (Avena sativa) in relation to cutting management and nitrogen levels

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive winter (rabi) seasons of 2003–04 and 2004–05 to study the effect of cutting management and nitrogen levels on quality of oat (Avena sativa L.) at Pantnagar. Pooled results revealed that single cut at 50% flowering recorded significantly higher dry-matter (8.05 t/ha) and digestible dry-matter yields (5.0 t/ha), dry-matter content (20.85%), acid-detergent fibre (48.14%), neutral detergent fibre (59.56%) and hemicellulose content (23.02%) than double-cutting system. But total crude-protein yield (805 kg/ha), crude-protein content at both the cuts (18.70 and 10.55% respectively), digestibility (76.31%), ash (10.44%) and cell contents (56.79%) at the first cut were significantly higher when the first cut was taken at 50 days after sowing and the second cut at 50% flowering. However, at second cut, digestibility (66.72%), ash (10.34%) and cell contents (43.47%) were statistically more when the first cut was taken at 60 days after sowing and the second cut at 50% flowering. Application of 120 kg N/ha recorded significantly higher dry-matter and digestible dry-matter yields; however, significant increase in crude-protein yield was observed up to 160 kg N/ha. The dry-matter content, digestibility and cell content decreased with successive increase in N level from 0 to 160 kg/ha, whereas the reverse trend was noticed for crude-protein content, acid-detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre and hemicellulose content.