Tulu Abuye, Diribsa Mekonnen, Gadisa Birmeduma, Temesgen Worku
Bako Agricultural Research Center, P.O. Box 03, Bako, Ethiopia.
Heliyon. 2025 Jan 6;11(1):e41753. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e41753. eCollection 2025 Jan 15.
Stay-green sorghum varieties are known for their drought resistance and ability to retain green biomass during grain filling, making them crucial for sustainable agriculture in arid regions. However, there is limited information on their stover yield (SY) and nutritional quality when both grain and forage are harvested. This study assessed five stay-green sorghum varieties at the Bako Agricultural Research Centre using a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The research evaluated SY, morphological traits, and nutrient composition. Results indicated that the Chemeda and Gemedi varieties produced the highest SY, digestible dry matter, and organic matter yield, with greater plant height and stem dry matter yield. These varieties are better suited for and could be targeted toward smallholder farmers who require large quantities of fodder for dry-season feeding when feed shortages are prevalent. In contrast, Asosa1 yielded the highest leaf biomass and leaf-to-stem ratio, followed by Adukara, suggesting that stover produced by such varieties would contribute to higher-quality forage that supports livestock productivity. SY varied significantly (P < 0.001) across seasons, with the highest in year 1, followed by year 3, and the lowest in year 2. Ash, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and cellulose concentrations showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) among varieties, though some quality traits differed (P < 0.05). Crude protein ranged from 5.44 % (Chemeda) to 3.18 % (Marara). These levels were below the threshold required for optimal rumen microbial activity, highlighting the need for supplementation with high-quality feed to support effective animal performance. Most traits, except for the leaf-to-stem ratio, showed strong positive correlations. Overall, Asosa1 and Adukara provided less stover with higher nutritional quality, while Chemeda and Gemedi offered greater quantities of lower-quality stover. The choice of variety should be based on the livestock production purpose of the end users. Future research should focus on assessing the performance of ruminant animals fed stover from the recommended varieties.
持绿型高粱品种以其抗旱性以及在灌浆期保持绿色生物量的能力而闻名，这使其对于干旱地区的可持续农业至关重要。然而，关于在收获谷物和饲料时其秸秆产量（SY）和营养品质的信息有限。本研究于2020年、2021年和2022年在巴科农业研究中心对五个持绿型高粱品种进行了评估，采用随机完全区组设计，重复三次。该研究评估了秸秆产量、形态特征和营养成分。结果表明，Chemeda和Gemedi品种的秸秆产量、可消化干物质和有机物质产量最高，株高和茎干物质产量更高。这些品种更适合且可针对在饲料短缺普遍存在的旱季需要大量饲料喂养的小农户。相比之下，Asosa1的叶生物量和叶茎比最高，其次是Adukara，这表明此类品种产生的秸秆将有助于提供更高质量的饲料，从而支持牲畜生产力。秸秆产量在不同季节间差异显著（P < 0.001），第1年最高，其次是第3年，第2年最低。各品种间的灰分、中性洗涤纤维、酸性洗涤纤维和纤维素浓度无显著差异（P > 0.05），不过一些品质性状存在差异（P < 0.05）。粗蛋白含量在5.44%（Chemeda）至3.18%（Marara）之间。这些水平低于瘤胃微生物最佳活性所需的阈值，突出了需要补充高质量饲料以支持动物有效生产性能的必要性。除叶茎比外，大多数性状呈强正相关。总体而言，Asosa1和Adukara提供的秸秆较少但营养品质较高，而Chemeda和Gemedi提供的秸秆量较大但质量较低。品种的选择应基于最终用户的畜牧生产目的。未来的研究应侧重于评估用推荐品种的秸秆喂养反刍动物的性能。
