Influence of cutting-management practices for green fodder and grain production in dual-purpose forage crops

An experiment was conducted during the winter in (rabi) seasons of 2012-13 to 2014-15 to study the performance of dual-purpose forage crops under different cutting management practices in medium black soil of Pune, Maharashtra. The soil had initial soil status of electrical conductivity (EC) 0.52 dS/m, pH 7.85 and organic carbon 0.14%. Based on the pooled mean data for 3 years, significantly highest green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yields of 51.49, 8.29 and 0.89 t/ha, respectively, were recorded in ‘JHO 822’ oat (Avena sativa L.) with cutting for fodder at 70 days after sowing and left for seed production as against 29.00, 5.65, 0.63 t/ha in ‘RD 2552’ barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety and 25.03, 3.89, 0.41 t/ha in ‘VL 829’ wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The same treatment combination recorded seed yield of 1.33 t/ha and straw yield of 3.04 t/ha with net monetary returns of 1,01,924/ha and benefit: cost ratio of 3.31. It has also revealed that harvesting stage for getting highest green fodder and grain is very important for dual-purpose crops and delayed cutting reduced regrowth and thereby grain yield.