Influence of Nitrogen Application on the Yield and Quality of Barley and Triticale Feed Grains
Keywords:
nitrogen, fertiliser, yield, protein, fibre, ash.Abstract
Cereals are used in animal feed because of their high dry-matter yield and low production costs. Unfavourable environmental conditions contribute to these low cereal yields. Grain production can be enhanced by implementing various agronomic practices. One of the ways to boost yields is to apply fertilisers. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of different nitrogen doses on the yields and quality of barley and triticale in the central Bosnia&Herzegovina. A field experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science at Sarajevo, B&H. The treatments included two nitrogen doses (F1 and F2) and two cereal species (Barley and Triticale). The results demonstrated a significant influence of fertilisation and cereal species on both yield and quality. The barley yield ranged from 5.1 t ha-1 (F1) to 5.5 t ha-1 (F2), while the triticale yield varied from 5.0 t ha-1 (F1) to 5.5 t ha-1 (F2). Protein content was also notably affected by nitrogen application. Barley protein content ranged from 11.7% (F1) to 12.3% (F2). Triticale protein content ranged from 10.6% (F1) to 11.9% (F2). A strong positive correlation was observed between crude fibre and ash, while test weight showed strong negative correlation with ash and crude fibre content.
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