Evaluation of Dual Purpose Wheat Varieties for Grain and Fodder Production

Two dual purpose wheat varieties (VL 829 and VL 616) and a conventional wheat variety PB W 343 were grown with 3 levels of N (120,150 and 180 kg/ha) and harvested after 60 days of sowing and thereafter allowed to grow for grain. The yield of fodder, gain and straw as well as number of tillers/m row, ear length and weight of 1000 seeds from these varieties were compared with the respective values of varieties not harvested for fodder (control, given 120 kg N/ha) under similar agronomic practices. The experiment was conducted for one year. Fodder yield from VL 829, VL 616 and PBW 343 varieties was 120.2, 134.2 and 131.8 quintals/ha, respectively. Grain yield was higher from all the varieties after harvesting the fodder than that for without harvesting for fodder, however, level of N application did not affect grain yield among all varieties. Grain yield was highest from variety PBW 343, irrespective of harvesting for fodder, than other dual purpose varieties. Grain; straw ratio of dual purpose varieties was similar (1:2) but higher than from PBW 343. CP content of wheat fodder varied in the range of 32 to 35% on DM basis, which decreased on delaying the harvesting the crop for fodder. A feeding trial, on crossbred calves showed that the DM intake and nutrient digestibility from wheat fodder was similar to that of oat fodder having similar maturity. However digestibility of EE and NFE efficiency of N utilization and N balance were higher (P<0.01) for wheat fodder than for oat fodder. Feeding wheat fodder ad lib. did not exhibit any health problem in calves. DCP and TDN value of wheat fodder was 18.45 and 69.58% respectively It was concluded that harvesting the fodder from wheat variety PBW 343 and other varieties after 60 days of sowing did not affect the grain and straw yields and the nutritive value of wheat fodder was similar to that of good quality concentrate mixture.